The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-04-20
SAFETY FIRST,
HARDINC'S IDEA
President Would Keep the u.
S. Navy Above $4,000
Mark.
PUTS IT UP TO CONGRESS-
Letter Addressed to Members Of
House States Executives Idea Of
Minimum of Foree-Woman
Members Against Cut.

Washington, April H. - President
Harding IN letter read to the house
urged that the naval bin provide for
a more adequate enlisted force than
G7,OOO as fixed by the appropriations
committee.
While the decision must lie with CON
gress. the President said he could only
repeat formally what he had said In
formally that he was persuaded 1t
would not be wise to make so drastic
cut as proposed in the house
bill.
The President while mot doubling
the good faith Of the committee
majority" said he must believe I'm the
good faith of the navy and naval adj
ylsers who declared very emphatically
IL was impossible TO maintain within
the proposed appropriation the stand.
ard set for the navy at the conference
and which was proclaimed TO the
world
The letter. addressed to and read
to the house by Representative Long
worth (Rep., o. said that navy Of
$1,000 men might be reached ulti-
mately, but "the trend toward peace
and security ought to be more firmly
established before going beyond the
limitations to which we were gladly
committed ut the international confer
ence."
The President said he would he
greatly disappointed as he knew the
country would be if the enlisted per-
somel was reduced below $4,000, the
figure which has been proposed by the
"big navy" group.
The Presidents letter follows:
MY Dear Congressman Longworth:
have to acknowledge your letter Of
inquiry addressed TO me on the 10Th
instant If / were 10 address the con-
gress formally / could say only what
! have already said informally, be-
cause / am well persuaded that it is
not wise To make SO drastic a cut Ia
the naval appropriations rs has been
proposed in the measure now pending
i'm tile house.
II do not doubt the good faith of the
committee majority In believing a suit
able navy can be maintained under the
limitation fixed in the pending bill
and 1 ann heartily in accord with every
consistent effort to deepen the cut in
governmental expenditures AT the
same time / must believe in the good
faith Of the Navy department and our
naval advisers, who say very en-
phutioaily that 1t is impossible 20 main
tain with the proposed appropriations,
the standard set for our navy which
was made the base of the information
al conference and which standard We
have proclaimed TO the world.
"Of course, the decision must lie
with the congress, but / should not be
frank in replying to your inquiry il l
did not say that I shall be greatly
disappoiuted-and / believe the coun-
try win BE greatly disappointed-if
the appropriation, to which the navy
must and win adhere, is reduced to
the point where the limitation Of en-
listed men and apprentices is below
$4,000 No presentation Of the stua-
tiou which has come On my notice has
served TO alter that opinion.
ultimately perhaps, the lower
figures proposed may be reached, and
] hope IL Will be possible through later
international concert hut the trend
toward peace and security ought 70 be
more firmly established before going
beyond the limitation to which We
were gladly committed at the iuterna-
uonul conference"
Changing their first plan, house
members leading the move for an en-
listed naval personnel Of $1,000 made
no attempt ut the opening Of the house
10 force over until next week a
vote on the contested section Of the
neutrality-suspicious. bin.
Miss Alice H. Robertson Rep,
Okla.). the only woman member Of the
house. during a ten-minule speech on
the bill, declared that women. as adj
visrrs TO the arms conference delega.
uon, had helped fix the 5-5-3 ratio, be-
low which she as a woman thought
congress should not 90 In fixing the
enlisted strength Of the navy. This
remark, taken by the bloc fayorng
an $1,000 maximum as Endorsement
Of their stand brought a round Of
CIlpr4