Evening star., 1928-10-28
Plans Made at Non-PubIic
Meeting of National Council
for Prevention of War.
NAVAL EXPANSION HELD
GREAT "P0KER GAME"
Organizations Bulletin Urges Ar
mistice Day for Demonstration
Against Conflicts.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

To kill the pending program for con-
struction of Is cruisers and / aircraft
carrier-approved by the House but
still awaiting action in the Senate-is
now the avowed purpose of the ofacial
pacifist organization. At a non-public
meeting held in Washington October
II by the National Council for Pre-
vention of War plans were perfected
to that end. To accomplish 1t the
council, under the energetic leadership
of its executive secretary, Frederick j.
Libby, will conduct the same intensive,
Nationwide campaign as it success
fully waged against the aoministra-
tons original 71-ship bill. AS before.
the Libby organization will have the
active cooperation of the Federal
Council of Churches. The House of
Representatives surrendered to the
voice of the people" last Winter and
Mr.. Libby and his coadjutors seem con-
fident the Senate will quail under the
same pressure. Veteran members of
Congress never experienced such bar
rage of organized propaganda.
At the end of last March, following
the defeat of the 71-ship program. the
pacif1st organization flooded the coun-
try with kilograms to It's constituents
The kilograms described the curtailed
program just adopted by the House as
competitive and provocative" The Is
cruisers voted to be built in three years
were attacked as being "aS bad as the
original IS cruisers in five years" The
kilograms concluded: Excellent pros
pect of tabling program in Senate, pro-
vided Nationwide protest continues"
Interested in Pact.
1.-THE National Council for Preven-
ton of War" said Mr.. Libby to this
writer, "is for the moment chiefly In
terested in bringing about the ratifica-
ton of the Kellogg pact for renuncia-
ton Of war. Whether the pact Is rati-
fed by the Senate or not, we intend
opposing the proposed naval constr1c-
ton. The project to outlaw war Is the
first concern of the peace movement
Our next step will be TO recommend
the opposing OF the naval program. We
look upon the anti-war pact and the
naval building scheme as entirely
separate issues; but no matter what
happens to the Kellogg treaty, or
whether 1t is acted upon by the Senate
before or after the naval bill Is taken
up, the plan to build Is new cruisers
and another aircraft carrier will find
us in opposition"
The sort of argument to be used to
whip up public sentiment against ex-
panSion of the United States feet is
set forth in the official News Bulletin
of the National Council for Prevention
OF War. The project voted by the
House and vigorously supported by the
Coolidge administration is stigmatized
as "a poker game" The players in
this game" are said to be the ''big
navy" groups in America and Great
Britain The News Bulletin says:
"Our own big-Navy group started the
game in May. 1924, with bill authoriz-
ing eight 10,000-ton cruisers, which
passed the House in that month by a
substantial majority. The British fol-
lowed that Summer, under a minority
Labor government, with authorization
of five cruisers and began actual con-
struction. The following December our
Senate passed the House authorization
bill and 1t became law. In the Summer
of 1925, the British approved the
Birkenhead program Of 16 more cruisers
to be built in five years, ending in 1929.
Then our big-Navy group asked for
10, failed, and in 1927 asked for IS.
The British took fright and dropped
three of theirs. Americas group had
outraged public opinion here and was
forced to drop to Is, but still wants
for 1929, 5 for 1880 and for 1881. 4.
Could any gambling be madder? It is
high time for this little game to be
stopped by those who pay. The Brittens
and the Birkenheads who do this kind
OF gambling are not the ones that have
to pay the bills. They play. The people
pay"
Navy States Views.
The Navy Department has Just issued
its own official version of the necessity
for enacting the cruiser bill into law.
Speaking at public meeting in Wash
ington on october Is, in the presence
of Secretary Wilbur and other high
officials of the Navy, Rear Admiral WI
liam H. Standley, assistant chief of
naval operations, said:
while treaties like the Kellogg pact
lessen the probability of wars and the
hostile employment of armed forces,
they do not reduce the urgent necessity
for maintaing navies for Self-defensive
purposes. Self-defenSe on the part Of
q nation, If that nation Is to survive,
must include the protection of the lives
and property Of its nationals In
legitimate pursuits wherever they
may be.
Laws and treaties have the effect
of law, but do not insure obedience to
the law. There must still be a sane
tion which can be applied when other
measures fail. AS illustrating this, I
need only to call your attention to the
fact that there are laws on the statute
books Of this country to cover every
conceivable human act, but in spite OF
these laws every city and community
has its well organized police force.
Therefore, unless there is further
agreement between the various powers,
the situation as to the comparative
strengths of navies Is exactly the same
today as 1t was before the Kellogg
peace treaties to renounce war we're
signed"
Favor Anti-War Demonstrations.
The pacifists would like to convert
the forthcoming commemoration OF
Armistice day, on November IL, from
its original purpose into colossal
demonstration against war and arnna~
ments. The National Council for Pre-
vention of War, in its October News
Bulletin" asserts that "the Armistice
day anniversary in 1928 offers to us
have ever had and boundless oppor-
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