Evening star., 1924-05-25
The Story the Week Has Told

measure would cut that figure to
$3.50.
The tax revisions mean a total reve-
nue. loss in their first year of opera
of about 1872, 100000 had been esti-
mated for that year. That is, you
would have. through operation of the
bill, instead of a surplus, deficit of
500. 100000. Add to that deficit $780,
000,0 for the bonus.
Legislation for the relief of farm
ers and TO increase the wages of post
al employees might further increase
the deficit total to the neighborhood
of 100000.
so the pessimists. There are. how
ever, optimists who assert that the
budget surplus is an underestimate;
so much so that despite reduction Of
revenue and increase of expenditure
as per above. the deficit at the end
of the fiscal year 1925 would be in
considerable. And now, presumably,
for legislation in aid of the farmer.
Senator Pepper has submitted to
the Senate another world court plan.
Every American who has not done so
May 22) the letter of Secretary of
the Navy Wilbur to the chairman of
the House naval affairs committee, in
which. in compliance with a House
resolution, he sets forth the condition
and strength of our Navy, the latter
British and Japanese navies. He pre-
sents the following grand conclusion:
"A fair comparison of the present
fighting strength in ships of Great
Britain. America and Japan would
appear to be SAB. This ratio does
not take into consideration strategic
ally located and well equipped naval
bases. which add greatly to the sea
power of the nation, nor does it take
into consideration the relative
cts y -
rines."
No doubt the above figures show
ing relative strength are based upon
profound study and the incest bal
ancing Of considerations, but our
weakness under several categories,
as shown by the letter, Is profoundly
disquieting. Thirteen battleships re-
quire very considerable moderniZa-
tion; we have tankage for only
100000 barrels Of fuel oil, whereas
barrels. In respect of light cruisers
our strength is as LIS to Japan's
and Britain's 5; we have no subma-
rines capable of maneuvering with
the fleet at battle speed nor at the
usual fieet-cruising speed under all
only three such building; we have
no f1otilla leaders, no mine-Iaying sub
marines: our reserve supply of tor
pedoes is 20 per cent short. The
ohiOuhI VI unQer way
or authorized toward making good
the main items of deficiency just
noted is inconsiderable. AS an of
set we are far in the lead In respect
OF destroyers and probably some
what ahead of all other nations in
respect of naval aircraft
Mr.. Cyrus Wood has resigned his
post as our ambassador to Japan and
the resignation has been accepted.
On May Is our six round -the-world
flyers hoped off in their three planes
from Attu Island, the most wester-
ly of the Aleutians, headed for
Paramusir Island, one OF the japanese
Kurile group. But they were COM
PEELED by fog and snow to deviate
somewhat to the north Of the direct
route to Paramusir and to alight
near one OF the Commander Islands
(Russian). They hopped off the next
morning and reached Paramusir that
day, the 18th Ga day having been
lost when crossing the international
date line just west of Attu). 1t re-
Quired nerve to attempt the flight of
the 15th-16th in face Of the weather
conditions. Two Japanese and one
American destroyer (the Ford) were