The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-20
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l.
SIN San Francisco inspected the
proposed Alameda base and Mare
Island, and also Goat Island.
think that Goat Island would be an
ideal site for mental cases Of the
Veterans Bureau. At Mare Island
I looked into the matter Of the pro.
posed ammunition base, and held
hearings on the question"
Referring to his speech at Gaia.
hna, where he attacked the pro.
posal of Senator La Toilette to curb
the powers Of the United States Su.
preme Court and in which he was
quoted as opposing the Volstead
act, Wilbur declared he was not
questioning the constitutionality of
the prohibition act.
Cited evils" In Dry Law.
"As chief justice Of the California
supreme court" he said, 81 had
rendered q decision favoring It.
merely cited the Volstead law to
point out the evils contained in it
II there were no constitutional re-
strictions governing it,"
Wilbur then referred to his Seattle
speech, in which he discussed the
Japanese question.
II didn't say what the newspapers
quoted me as saying about the
japanese" he declared. IT did not
say two antagonistic civilizations.
said two different civilizations.
! wasn't specifically referring to
the japanese. / was differentiating
rather, between the Occidental and
the Oriental. There were no in.
q Japanese representative congratu.
lated me upon it."
Lauds FOur-POwer Pact.
Wilbur expressed the opinion that
the four-power treaty of the
Washington conference had assured
q lasting peace in the Pacific
II took up with the President"
he said, "the question of the rela.
tive Importance Of surface and
subsurface warcraft and aviation.
President Coolidge suggested
that ! appoint a special board to
rake study Of the subject. He
also told ms to make an intensive
study Of it for the purpose Of re.
adjusting the budget. The supple.
mental budget estimates of the
navy are due early next month,
and it was for the purpose Of read.
justing these supplemental esti.
mates that the President asked me
to come to Washington confer with
him. e
II shall look the field over and
probably appoint the special board
this afternoon"
Discussing the relative merits of
hattleships and airplanes. Wilbur
said:
"StrOng for'' BattIeships.
II think that battleships are still
the backbone Of the fleet and that
airplanes simply introduced a new
factor and an essential factor ~
the maintenance of the fleet"
Enroute to Washington, Wilbur
said that he had his aide, Captain
Walter r. Gerard, who was in
charge Of aviation during the last
fleet maneuvers. prepare a port
Tor the President on the co.or> Ana.
ton Of the aircraft and battleships.
He recommended" Wilbur said,
that the battlefield be kept in AL
condition and that aviation be given
necessary appropriations to carry
on supplemental work"
Secretary Wilbur, In addition to
discussing naval matters reported
to the President on the political
situation in California.
1.-THE situation in the State" he
told newspaper men, lis very hard
for an outsider to analyze. I told
the President that when I first
went home some people said to ME
that II the erection were held the
next day La Toilette would carry
the State. I could not agree with
that opinion.
Sees Coolidge "Slide."
'After studying the situation my
Judgment is that II the campaign
President Coolidge will carry the
State by 100000. OF course. there
are two dangers. One, that the
people won't come out to vote; the
other, the danger Of too much con-
fidence. II the people won't vote,
and II they won't get out and work,
Of course I can't tell what would
happen.
"The various elements in the Re-
publican party in California are
now cooperating for the success OF
the national ticket"
''Does that mean that Senator
johnson is working for the national
ticket?" Wilbur was asked.
IT do not want to discuss per-
sonalities," he replied, "but / will
answer in this way: The people
who formerly supported Senator
johnson are now supporting Presi.
dent Coolidge"
Formal denial was made at the
State Department while Wilbur was
at the White House that any
Japanese protests against the Secre-
tary's Seattle speech had reached
here. A statement from Chairman
Shaver, Of the Democratic National
Committee, had given currency to
reports that such protests had
reached the State Department.