Evening star., 1923-03-26
CONGRESS MAY ACT
, ON NAVAL TREATY
Question of Modernization of
Ships Raises Controversy
Involving Appropriation.

Interpretation of the 5-5-3 naval
ratio negotiated at the Washington
arms conference gives promise of be-
ing a live subject in the next Con-
gress. unless the State and Navy de-
partments smooth out in the mean
time the tangle over the Navy's bat
tleship modernization plan.
Those who fought the plan in the
last Congress. on the ground that the
United States proposed to violate at
least the spirit of the treaty by
strengthening the older capital ships
found their ranks strengthened to-
day by Chairman Madden of the
House appropriations committee. who
declared he believed the work would
be out of harmony with the agree
ment.
British Issue Denial.
Mr.. Madden said that when the
House appropriated s6.500.000 for the
work it stipulated that the Navy De-
partment should definitely establish
its right under the treaty to embark
on it's program. Navy officers at tha
time. he said. stressed the strength N
ing of older ships by Great Brita II
and Japan and asserted that there
would be no violation of the treaty
in the plans of the Navy Department.
Inasmuch as Great Britain has de-
MED moderniZation work attributed to
her navy. however. the whole subject
has resolved into one of treaty inter
probation. with the State Department.
even if, it desired an exchange Of
views. faced with the fact that final
ratification has not been accomplished
by all of the signatorieS.
Japanese Data Hnzy.
Meanwhile. with s6.5no.0O0 available
the United States is faced with the
alternative of holding up its program
or setting precedent under tn"
treaty. at least. SO far as the Ameri-
can-RritiSh ratio is concerned.
Information on japanese naval i'm
provcmentS is rather haZy.
Chairman Madden has announced
that in view of the British disclaimer.
he would protest against the eNp"ndi-
ture of the money appropriated by
Congress for battleship work, on the
ground that the action had been taken
under the apprehension that other
governments had already strength
ened their fleets in a similar way. \
determined fight developed in the
House al the time the appropriation
was authorized. group of members
asserting that treaty violation was
contemplated.
Question Charges.
When Chairman Butler of the
House naval committee brought in a
bill to authorize the expenditure. he
offered an amendment to the commit
tee draft making the work subject
to the terms of the treaty"
After consultation with my col
leagues and members Of the House"
said Mr.. Butler. Il have offered this
amendment and l hope the House
will be willing to accept it. 1t seems
there is some doubt in the minds of
some members whether or not we
were in any way violating the terms
of the treaty we made by authorizing
the Navy Department to improve the
ships which we are now allowed to
maintain.
We were assured by the Secretary
of the Navy that this work that was
TO be put upon these ships would not
be in violation of the terms of the
treaty and not even in violation OF
It's spirit. Permit me to say for the
Information of nv colleagues-and
myself am included with them. of
c"urs"-that we are all extremely
ANXIOUS that this treaty shall be
kept not only in letter. but also in
spirit.
Use of Fund Optional.
"Further we inquired particularly
and with as much diligence as we
could, whether or not this would in
any way violate the terms of the
treaty. Being assured that it would
NOT ana wanting to make it douhIy
amendment. which l ask the House to
adopt"
1t was pointed out today bv Mr..
MADDEN that similar restrict on was
IN the appropriation bin authorizing
the expenditure. and that there was
nothing in that measure which would
force the Navy Department to carry
out It's plans so long as there was
doubt of its consonance with treaty
rights.
Madden Backs Trenty.
I'VE want a navy as good as that
or any other nation" said Mr.. Mad
den. but we do not want to en-
bark on program in violation of our
agreements
With naval officers who aided in
the preparation of data on which the
5-5-3 ratio was based insisting that
regardless of the British disclaimer
the right of this government to re-
model her fleet must be conceded,
conferences are continuing between
the State and Navy departments, with
members of Congress and the diplo-
matte corps watching the outcome
with keen interest