Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-21
WHAT ABOUT NEW CRUISERS

40 A'o iiSScd6C w SollSICSS Oli LhC
budget the President a few days
ago had this~to say: "While on the
subject of our national defense 1t
is proper to state that no provision
is made in the estimates for the
Navy department for commencing the
construction Of the remaining three
of the eight cruisers which the act
of December 18th. 1924, authorizes
to BE undertaken prior to July /,
1927. This country is now engaged
in negotiations to broaden our exist
ing treaties with the great powers
which deal with the elimination of
competition in naval ornaments. I
feel that it would be unfortunate at
this time and not in keeping with our
attitude toward these negotiations to
commence the construction of these
three cruisers. Rather do I recon-
mend to the Congress the enactment
of legislation which will extend the
time for beginning their construc-
ton"
Against this a protest was raised,
a rather formidable protest on the
part of Congress. On Saturday, fol-
lowing conference at the White
House the previous evening, Chair
man Butler of the House Naval
Committee introduced bill authoriz-
ing the construction of ten cruisers
of 10000 tons each, which would
involve the expenditure Of around
one hundred and -forty-five million
dollars. 1t was announced that the
PRECEDENT acceded to this. Press re-
ports indicate that the committee
urged on the President that certain
Of the powers, parties to the Wash
ington Conference. were violating the
spirit of armament restriction if not
the text and that If this condition
persists it will upset the effect Of the
naval ratio agreed upon. 1t is under
stood that the President insisted 1t
be left within the power Of the
President to suspend the program,
should occasion arise.
1t will be recalled that at the
Washington Conference our Govern
ment laid it's cards on the table and
offered to sacrifice more in the way
Of constructed ships than 1t asked
any other to do. Such an attitude
was novelty in international con-
ferences where each usually jockeys
to the limit. A like spirit Of fairness
appears in the presidents budget
message. He then thought it not in
keeping with our attitude toward
naval limitation to go on with the
construction of three cruisers already
authorized. What caused him to
change his mind? 1t is not at all
likely this came because of any threat.
More likely he came to the conclusion,
because Of some evidence, that his
fair attitude would serve to en-
courage Indifference to any further
limitation.
While the terms agreed upon at the
Washington Conference did not in
clude cruisers Of 10000 tons burden
or less it is easily UNDERSTOOD that a
policy of building such cruisers
might be encouraged, having the eff
feet of multiplying the naval ratio.
The activity in cruiser building on
the part of Great Britain and Japan,
while not in the nature Of threat,
indicates such an Objectionable policy.
position to take part in another ma
val conference. President Coolidge
has let it be plainly known that he
would like to call another conference
were he convinced this would be ac-
ceptable to the other powers. So far
as known no such desire has been
indicated by them.
What has occurred since the Presi-
dents budget message is pretty good
indication that the country is not in
a mood to be jockeyed with; that
if other countries are not willing to
meet us half way we have no notion
of lying down on a naval program.
This attitude of Congress in the mat
ter Of the new cruisers may convey
that impression to our associates in
the Washington Conference, as nothing
else might. If so, then is it fully
warranted. This country In accept
ing at the Washington Conference
ratio Of naval strength is, in a
sense, obligated to maintain as we'll
as not to exceed. We were to have
a navy equal to Great Britains and
in the proportion of to 3 as COM
pared with Japan. We must build
more cruisers if we are to keep to
this parity. While Japan's capital
ship ratio is her cruiser ratio is
2.35: our capital ship ratio Is and
our cruiser ratio but 1888.