Evening star., 1928-12-07
15-CRU|SER PLAN
FOUGHT BY GROUP
"ProteSt Committee" Forms
to Present Memorial
to Senate.

Word reaches this writer that self
appointed nationwide organization
calling itself THE protest committee" is
engaged in hurrying into shape So
called memorial" to the Senate pro-
testing against adoption of the l5-
cruiser program just recommended by
President Coolidge. The committee is
being organized by eight we'll known
men and women prominent in the fem
! mist movement, the churches and edu-
cation. They argue that the addition
of Is cruisers to the United States Navy
will jeopardize any advantages accru-
ing from the Kellogg anti-war treaty
and call upon the Senate to smash the
naval program in order to avert such
contingency. AS soon as 1000 leaders
of thought and opinion" have signed
the memorial their names will be made
public and submitted to the Senate.
Mrs. Gait Heads Group.
The protest committee" is headed
by MIRA Carrie Chapman Gait, famous
suffrage leader; Henry Sloane Coffin,
president of Union Theological Semi
nary; Harry Emerson Fosdick, pastor Of
Park Avenue Baptist Church, New
York; DR. John Grier Hibben, presi-
dent of Princeton University; Francis
j. Mcconnell, bishop, Methodist EpiSco-
pal Church: Henry Noble McCracken,
president of VaSsar College: Dr. Ste
phen S. Wise. rabbi of Free Synagogue,
New York, and DR.. Mary E. Woolley,
president of Mount Holyoke College.
Under the date of December l, the
protest committee" sent out from the
address of 3041 Broadway, New York
City, the following form letter to clergy
men, educators, publicistS and others
in all parts Of the country:
Believing that the ratification OF
the naval bill pending before the Sen
ate with its authorization of Is naval
cruisers will greatly impern what ever
advantages may be expected from the
general pact for the remuneration OF
war. the undersigned are seeking 1,o0O
leaders of thought and opinion in
America to join with them in sending
the inclosed memorial to the United
States Senate.
For obvious reasons prompt action
Is imperative and if you feel disposed
to unite with us, will you be good
enough to give us the authority 10
use your name by return mali? IL is
understood that the memorial will not
only be sent to the Senate, but viii be
given all possible puDllclty as soon as
every one invited to participate has had
a reasonable time to send us authort-
cation Please wire reply to protest
committee, 3041 Broadway, New York
City. Immediate action will be appre-
ciated"
Memorial Of Protest.
The memorial of protest for which
signatures are sought reads as follows:
I'VE, the undersigned citizens, being
in hearty favor of the ratification by
the United States Senate of the general
pact for the remuneration of war, look
with grave apprehension upon the pos
sibility of the authorization Of Is addl-
tional cruisers in the coming session OF
the Senate.
I'VE believe that the wholesome ef-
feet of the general pact for the renun-
citation of war upon the sentiment OF
nations and people will be largely nulli-
fed If the Nation which first proposed
the general pact expresses lack OF conf
dence in its efficacy by increasing its
own armament. It seems to us idle to
insist that the naval program has been
conceived without reference to the pro-