Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-18
STRONG OPPOSITION
Dr. COOLIDGE KILLS
NAVAL PROBE PLAN
Navy Adequate for Defense
Without Comparison With
Other Nations, His Idea

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16,-NaVal
building by the nations OF the world
on a competitive basis promises little
hope for the future in the opinion OF
President Coolidge.
Simultaneous with the statement
OF the presidents view, the senate
naval committee postponed action on
the resolution of Senator King, Dem
ocrat, Utah. for an inquiry into the
status of the navy.
Chairman Hale announced a sub
stitute plan" had been presented to
the committee, but declined to eX-
plain wherein it would differ from
the investigation sought by the Utah
senator, who charged the navy was
not being maintained at its treaty
ratio.
With respect to the American
navy, the administration viewpoint
was again defined today as looking
toward navy adequate for the de-
tense of the country without respect
to steps taken by other nations.
These views ase expressed at the
White House were supplemented by
the statement that the president re-
cards as unnecessary any congress
sionaI inquiry into the state of the
nations navy,
The proposal has been made in
congress that an inquiry should be
undertaken ito the status of the
navy before appropriation Of addi-
tional funds, but Mr.. Coolidge re-
CARDS the Investigations and hear
ings held annually in connection
with the naval appropriation bill as
a thorough going inquiry into the
state of the naval establishment
Furthermore, he feels that the
naval general staff and the secre-
tary of the navy continually are at
work examining the condition of the
naval establishment, and their find
irSs are at the disposal at all times
CT congress.
Although the question of gun elc-
walton of capital ships has again
come to the fore through considera-
ton of pending legislation, Mr.. Cool
ldge does not regard that as an i'm
portant factor in the present discus
81 on of the national defense He has
not examined the proposal thorough
ly, but inasmuch as five, of the
SlSitSSI1 capital SHIPS are uoGnloQ TO
need no elevation of guns and five
others are declared by naval officials
to be comparable in gun range with
the major elements of other navies.
the matter of elevating the guns of
the eight remaining hardly could be
considered as of prime importance.
Another factor to be considered in
The presidents opinion is the mat
ter of expenditure, All appropriation
of $4,000, 600 having been proposed
in the pending legisla ton for such
work.
The presidents views were brought
forth by an inquiry at the White
House for statement as to the com.
p,rison IF the American navy with
those of foreign countries Mr. Cool
idge does not want to proceed on the
theory of a continual comparison of
world navies. Such a method OF
naval building would leave slight
hope of reduction in ornaments
and therefore the only economical,
and at the same time safe yardstick
with which to measure the American
navy would be that of it's adequate
ness to defend the country coasts.
An ADDRESS made by Chairman
Hale, of the senate naval committee
last summed in the senate provides
in the presidents opinion a complete
statement as to the state of the
American navy. This since has been
supplanted by the study of naval
needs made by the budget bureau, by
the president himself in his consid-
Grafton of budget estimates, and by
the house naval committee in it's CON
sideration of the pending naval bill
WILBUR APPROVES NAVY PAY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The re-.
port of the navy wage board fixing
wage scales for civilian employees at
all navy yards and stations was APP
proved Tuesday by SECRETARY Wilhnr