Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-18
PRESIDENT FIRMLY
OPPOSES EXCESSIVE
NAVY EXPENDITURES
EY DAVID LAWRENCE
>rariaI Leased Wire to The Journ0l-Copy-
right 1921

! tSpacial Leased Wire to The Journal-Cop'-
| right, 1920
WASH NGTON, Dec. LIS there
friction between President Coolidge
and Secretary of the Navy Wilbur?
Officially the answer no Is CIV
on. But within the last forty-eiSht
hours two things have happened
u hirh have set the national capltoi
talking. wondering, speculatlng ana
even predicting that some recohci-
iation of viewpoint is going TO pc
| developed.
The president expressed his views
ot a private gathering last Saturday
night. lie didn't criticize Secretary
| Wilhur. but he left the distinct i'm
nression that he was not going to be
stampeded by the agitation for bigger
armaments and that America intend
rd TO keep to the letter of the trea'
lies made at the Washington arms
conference. The writer did not hear
the speech, but understands that
some of the thoughts expressed by
the president and reproduced today
in some of the eastern newspapers
are indicative of a policy which has
been slowly maturing in his mind as
he has listened to the exposition of
international relations given him by
Secretary Hughes.
| AS for secretary wilbur, he is a
newcomer in Washington and
movies in naval affairs, but he has
given heed as have other naval sec
Iretaries to the viewpoint or the
naval experts who have insisted that
America not only must spend money
to Keep up the 5-5-3 ratio, but must
develop armament in directions not
covered by the Washington. arms
treaties.
The concrete thing which has
started so much speculation as to
whether the secretary of the navy
and the president are in harmony
is the publication today of the story
about Secretary Wilbur's arguments
/ before the house naval committee ad
! his general assertions that it will
take nearly two billion dollars in the
next twenty years to keep the navy
itp to the standard set by the 5-5-3
treaty.
Much of what the secretary of the
! navy says is based upon information
as to what other powers are doing
! Some of this data, coming through
naval sources, is viewed through the
eyes of naval competition. The eX-
pert sees theoretical war all the
time. But the secretary of state and
| the president accept the protesta-
tons of good faith which they get
/ through diplomatic channels.
SO Mr. Coolidges latest conviction
! is that competition in armament must
| stop and mostly that the competitive
| spirit is not to rule American policy.
Instead of talking about how much
more efficient armies and navies are
to become to fight each other, the
idea seems to be to bring the nations
of the world to more limitation of
armament, so forces will be reduced
/ to a point consistent with domestic
safety Back in the presidents mind
/ is not only the notion that such a
policy will further the cause of peace.
but that tax burdens will lbe reduced
everywhere. How can Europe begin
to pay the debt owed to America I'M
less Europe ceases to spend unneces-
sary sums o narmament? And if
continental Europe doesn't begin
soon to pay her debts to America
the taxpayers of the United States
will not be able to hope for a reduc-
ton in the interest charges which
are eating up the income tax pay
ments of this country.
The secretary of the navy has
been under considera BILE pressure
rom within his own department to
! ask for apprOpria lions for d better
navy. The difference of opinion as
to what constitutes a 5-5-3 ratio have
/ led to all sorts of suggestions The
view that other powers are doing
certain things and that America
must do likewise is recognized as
likely to lead to an exaggerated in.
depreciation of the ratio. America
proposed that scheme originally and
/ means to stick to its spirit as well as