Evening star., 1925-11-05
HALE AGAINST CUTS
IN FUNDS FOR NAVY
Warns That There's No Saw
ing in Cutting Down Life
Guaranty of Nation.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Warning that further material cuts
in naval appropriation would impair
the efficiency of the Navy was given
here today by Chairman Hale of the
Senate naval committee, aGS-AssinS
the National Security League.
There is no economy, he said,
"in cutting uov-r, the life insurance.
the life guaranty OF the country.
adding that in his opinion the great
est factor in the world for peace Is
rich and powerful America insist
ing that peace shall he maintained
Need for Ships Foreseen.
The committee chairman said 1t
would be necessary within the near
future for the United States to author
ize the building of new ships to keep
up the ratio laid down by the arms
conference. Reviewing the relative
naval strength of the powers which
signed the arms treaties. he said more
aircraft carriers must be placed with
the feet, and if the treaty ratio was
10 be applied to other classes of vessels
than capital ship CarreirS. additional
ten-thousand-to ton cruisers must he pro
Vided.
While the preponderance in de
stroyer strength was given 10 the
United States by the Senator, he he
lieved that in view OF the extensive
submarine programs of Japan and
France more fleet submarines would
be needed within the next few years.
Pearl Harbor Work.
Immediate expenditures We're urged
by Senator Hale for widening and
deepening the entrance TO Pearl Har-
hor. the development of Sand Point
on the Pacific Coast, and IF possible
finding a site for a new naval base
on the Pacific Coast and the aCquisi-
tion of land for that purpose
1T is believed of great Importance
TO the Navy" he said. ito have a
naval operating base on the Pacific
Coast that in some measure will cor
respond TO the operating base at
Hampton Roads on the Atlantic
Coast. With such a base established
and with the strengthening and i'm
provement of Pearl Harbor the
protected, and the expenditures re.
quired, covering as they will. period
of years, will not require excessive
appropriations in any one year.
The number of Navy ships in com
mission was given by the Senator as
AZ. with an equal number laid up
because of obsolescence or lack of
funds to man them. Among improve
ments he advocated We're A naval
base on the Pacific coast and improve
ment of Pearl Harbor. Hawaii.
Discussing the possibility of an
other arms limitation conference.
Senator Hale said the United States
made great sacrifices in the first con
ference, having scrapped pre-
ponderance of the actual new ton
mage.
We are not now in such a posi-
tion of superiority" he said. The
basis of capital ship strength is es-
tablished. Any further cut that could
be made in capital ships or carriers
would have to be along the ratio
line, with no special advantage to
any one of the five countries con
cerned. We must, therefore ap-
proach the question of a new con
ference not as a great country will
ing to make a great sacrifice but as a
country asking others to make the
sacrifice.
The shoe is now very much on the
in the world warrant the belief that
a conference will be successful. 1t
would, in my opinion. be worse tha n
useless to summon the five nations
parties to the last conference
The committee chairman said the
Navy had sufficient number of planes
on hand or under construction to man
the fleet when the Saratoga and Lex
ington, the carriers, go into commits
sion, and that until the Presidents air
board had reported no prediction could
be made as TO the policy Congress
would adopt as to aviation.
A defense against unjust" criticism
was made by Senator Hale on behalf
of the Navy, and he said accidents
would always occur where necessary
hazards were to be met.
Criticisms through proper sources, :"
he said. made by experts who know
their subject, are always valuable, but
charges that inflame the public and
that do not have to be substantiated
are not beneficial to the service or the
country"
America and Great Britain. com
bined Senator Hale said, control the
seas, adding:
Can any one question the influence
which these two countries, acting in
unison, both in favor of preserving
peace in the world. will exercise, when
danger of another world war appears
on the hOriZon?'