Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-20
Protest Unprecedented.

writer that they can hardly recall so
terrific a public protest as the 7l-Ship
program called forth. AS the bill Is
in the hands Of the House naval af-
fairs committee. the veteran chairman
Of that body. Representative Thomas
S. Butler. Republican. of Pennsylvania.
Is what he calls THE shining target"
at which the country's voice has MAIN
~ rallied. Mr.. Butler declares that
back home" has been heard from on
the naval bill to an extent wholly with
out precedent in his long congressional
experience. The committee chairman
happens to be Pennsylvania Quaker.
From that region and from that ele-
ment the protests against big Navy"
legislation have been especially vigor-
Gus The Society Of Friends recently
held a public meeting of protest in
Philadelphia and then sent a delega-
ton to Washington to demonstrate
with the President and with Congress.
My office staff cannot begin to cope
with the deluge Of letters and tele-
grams that have reached me-" says Mr.
Butler. father of Gen. Smedley D.
Butler Of the Marine Corps. They
come from every quarter of the coun-
try. and all the way from Maine to
California They represent all classes.
They are not confined to professional
pacifsts or anti-preparedness Zealots.
Many come from church people. Many
come from business men. Women are
prominent among the opponents Of the
bill.
Varied Reasons Advanced.
THE reasons advanced for opposition
are as varied as the localities whence
they emanate Many writers express
the fear that We are preparing for some
war or other. which they are unable
to account for. Many oppose on prin-
ciple any further preparation for the
settlement Of international disputes by
the application of force. A great many
citizens are against the bill because OF
the enormous amount Of money 1t calls
for. Some recall President Coolidge S
statement two years ago that the United
States is second to no other nation
than Great Britain in naval power
and that We do not intend competing
Tith that country"
Mr.. Butler confesses that the sudden
shift in the situa;ion-the administra-
ton Congress tacit agreement TO confine
the program to cruiSerS-makes 1T I'M
possible to foretell in just what shape
the bill will emerge from the House
naval committee. He points out that
the friends Of strong naval preparedness
have been heard from, along with oppo-
nents OF the measure. These have been
convinced By the arguments hitherto
put forward by President Coolidge and
Secretary Wilbur that the 7i-ship pro-
gram is thoroughly justified.
Wilbur in Defense.
Within "a hours of the time the
White House was announcing its about
face, Secretary Wilbur was pleading IN
a public speech at indianapolis for
enactment Of the program en- bloc. His
strong point was that the propaganda
lists" who seek its defeat would have
American bluejackets fight blindfold-
ed" The idiori. Mr.. Wilbur explained.
is used because the cruisers. destroyers.
submarines and airplane-carriers asked
for are eyes" for the battleship force.
There's one feature Of the cruiser
program that has not received the at :
tention 1t deserves The IS cruisers
nov proposed formed the basis OF III"
limitation offer made by the United
States at Geneva last Summer In a
final effort To secure treaty. Secre-
tary Kellogg instructed the American
delegation to go SO far In meeting
British demands for large cruiser ton
mage as To say that America would ac-
cept An outside figure OF 10000 tons
This was 10 be made up troundly)
as follows: Six existing American
cruisers Trenton Memphis class of
$500 tons each-~total. $4,000 tons:
I0.000-ton cruisers authorized in 1924,
but not yet in coinmiSsion--totai, co.
GEO. and Is additional i0,000-to cruis-
| esr-t0tal, 100000. The grand total
would be 336 900 tons.
The present 25-criiiser proposal
therefore. does not 50 beyond the fig
Ures We we're ready 10 accept In a
Geneva limitation treaty.
/ tCoDygiaht 1921