The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-23
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS

to square Its antl-War treaty
and its naval expansion program?
This is the problem of the United
States Government which the State
Department is facing in Washing
ton and which President Coolidge
will discuss with Secretary of the
Navy Wilbur in the Wisconsin
woods today.
This question has been barbed by
the "indiscretions" of Sir Joynson-
Hicks, British home secretary, in
blurting out that Uncle Sam is
offering the world a renunciation-
of-war pact with one hand and big
ger navy plans with the other hand.
President Coolidge at Brule is rep
resented by his spokesman as APP
proving both the Kellogg treaty and
the Wilbur cruiser project.
The administration is in the diff
cult position in a campaign year
of having to advertise its anti-war
treaty as something more real than
a mere gesture, and at the same
time must create enough public fear
of the danger of war to insure sup
port for its adequate preparedness"
program.
Logically this problem of recon-
Cling the two apparent contradic-
tions is easy. Because the Kellogg
nut lateral treaty soon to be signed
leaves the nations legally as free to
go to war as. they ever were. Hence
the argument of the Navy Depart
ment that the treaty should not in
any way effect its building program,
But the administration is finding
that the American public is not
logical" about the treaty. There
has been so much talk of it as an
'outlawry- of-war" treaty, and so
much official emphasis of It's value
in "renouncing war as an instru-
ment of national policy" that the
public is beginning to accept it as
something which actually changes
international relations-if not to the
extent of justifying immediate dis
armament, at least in making UNI
necessary an increase in ornaments.
n
THIS is the argument of various
a church and peace organizations,
planning to inject this question into
the political campaign and into the
next Congress.
There is similar movement in
England, demanding that the gov
ernments show its good faith" in
this remuneration of war pact by
the tangible and immediate act of
limiting naval expenditures.
Though these movements at home
and abroad are embarrassing the
American administration, and send
ing it to search for a new recon-
ciliation and justification of it's al
legged dual and contradictory for
eign policy" nevertheless there is
no indication Of any change in the
bigger navy plan.
Secretary Wilbur at Brule today
will talk with the President regard
ing the navy department budget
estimates which will be submitted
next month, and concerning legisla-
ton for more ships and men.
The administrations plan can be
examined in the announcement by
Senator Hale Of Maine, chairman
of the Naval Affairs Committee,
that every effort will be made to
push through the cruiser bill as
son as Congress meets in December.
Hale worked in close cooperation
with Wilbur and the White House,
and is the chief administration
naval spokesman and strategist at
the capitol.
Hale urged the Senate to pass the
bill already enacted by the House,
providing construction during the
next three years Of fifteen addition
al cruisers and one aircraft at an
initial estimated cost Of 1914 100000.
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