Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-04-11
BRANDED LAME
DUCK IN TALK
T0PRESSC[U
Cut Proposed Puts 5-5~3
Proportion Down to
7-8 for u. S. He Says
Denby $ Assistant Ayers
It's Passage Would Be
a National Disaster

Washington, April 1O-Passage o
the house appropriations committee
naval bill would be a national dis
aster" and furnish the country with {
Roosevelt Of the navy department, de-
clared Monday night speaking before
the National Press club.
Under this lame duck navy he
added. I'VE will be second rate coun-
try. As such we will have but little
influence in the world for peace or
justice.
THE very people who smugly an
nounce the lOftiness Of our ideals when
they advocate such a reduction. would
by one stroke render ideals inef-
fectual.'
Speaking as head of the naval ex-
perts who arranged the terms of the
5-5-3 ratio plan for limitation Of sea
power. Mr.. Roosevelt said the commit
tee bill "relegates us to a minor posi-
tion among the great nations
1T breaks the naval ratio" he con-
tinued
Under the treaty our relationship
with England and Japan is 55-3. The
English navy this year will have some
100000 men: the japanese will have
6S.25O We. under the house bill, will
have only $1,000.
Sets New Ratio, He Says
This bill therefore has established
naval ratio of 2s -5-3, with the
United States on the small end. The
! guns are of no account unless we have
the men behind them. The men behind
the guns are the navy.
THE minimum number of men nee
essary to man our navy at present with
reasonable degree of efficiency is
$4,000. If. indeed, we had all those
we need for every contingency, we
should require approximately 1900.
I'VE are allowed 1S battleships by
treaty agreement. With the personnel
allowed us in this bill we can keep but
IL of these battleships in full com
mission. Five will have to be put in
ordinary with only 200 men on board"
Mr.. Roosevelt said hundreds Of
thousands Of tons in auxiliary craft
must 20 out of commission under the
house bill
Next year" he added, "Great Brit
ain will keep ready for active service
1,37O.S5O tons of combatant vessels;
Japan will maintain ready for active
service approximately $4,000 tons of
combatant vessels. The United States
on the other hand under this bill, will
only be able to keep ready for immedi-
ate service 7O3, ,14S tons of combatant
craft"
Destroys Reserve Claim
''The house BILL he continued.
largely destroys our naval reserve"
and pointed out that it would prevent
marine chasers in which the citizen |
C0i hair
training. |
IF they are to have a show for their
white alley the secretary added. I'VE |
must give them an opportunity for |
training. We cannot do this under the |
present bill.'
The fight on the naval appropria-
ton bill began in the house Monday. I
with members insisting that it did and !
that il didn't actually carry out the
5-5-3 ratio as fixed by the treaty. All
day the discussion centered around this
one big question in dispute.
Chairman Kelley Of the subcommit-
tee on appropriations. which drafted
the measure, and others, including Rep
resentative Mondell of Wyoming, the
republican leader. declared an enlisted
force Of $1,000 plus 1900 apprentice
seamen. was adequate to maintain the
navy in accordance with the arms con-
terence ratlng.
Destroys Efficiency, Claim
Others however, including Repre-
sentative Padgett. Tennessee. ranking
democrat on the naval committee. which
in former times prepared the navy bills.
that the figures We're so low
"as to destroy the efficiency of the
American navy" and give it standing
the same as or lower than that Of
Japan. In all there were seven speeches
during the day. three for and four
against the measure.
There will be two full days of gen.
eral debate, with more later, when the.
personnel section is reached.
The name of the president was
brought into the debate and there were
many verbal clashes as a result.
Mr.. Mondell questioned the propriety
# the inclusion in minority views of
! statement that the president had
Urged $4,000 men or 10000 less than
he number requested by Secretary
)enby.
Representative Hustled said the pres 4
dent. according to the newspapers.
wanted that total and Representative
varc said he knew of his personal
knowledge that the statement WAS cor s
ect. '
Breaking into the debate for mo- d
1ent. Chairman Madden of the apprO- Il
riations committee declared if congress e
pset the bill in its personnel pro- o
ision it would prove that the arms b
Onference had failed to reduce naval o
expenditures ~ the people had hoped. Il