Evening star., 1928-02-24
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS


The Coolidse-Wilbur "big-nayy" pro-
gram has been sent 10 Davy Jones
locker by the House naval affairs COM
| mittee. It has not been "spurlos ver-
senkt." but 1t Is shipwrecked almost be-
yond recognition, OF the II vessels
projected. fewer than three quarters are
left OF the S740,000.G COO at first con-
tc,np!atcd, lesa than one-th.rd Is now
authorized Instead OF IS cruisers there
are TO be only Is. In lieu of the air
plane carriers asked for. the House com-
mittee Q. ks only |. Thumbs are tufn-
ed down altogether on tho 81 subma-
rines and destroyer -leaders which the
White House and the Navy Department
Jointly recommended. Representative
Rritten. Republican. OF Illinois. ranking
member of the naval committee, vii.
carry TO the floor OF the House his fight
for more adequate program. But he
radiatcs no optimism that victory will
crown his efforts. It's a long time sincc
Congress has witnessed more radical
about.face than the naval affairs COM
mittcc executed. A month ago the COM
mittee stood something like ID 10 for
the administration bill. This week It
stood something like 10 To against It..
v
On all hands II Is conceded that the
smashing OF the l-ship program rep
rcsents the triumph OF an organized
| minority over an unorganizcd majority.
The story can be told IN nutshell. The
lanti-preparedness groups mob!ized
against the bill In force. The Nations
preparedness elements did not take the
trouble TO make showing In favor OF
the program at all commensurate with
the opposition. The Daughters OF the
Eat asNd
Legion were heard from. but 1t vas the
professional pacitist organizations whose
influence was manifested most impress
sively Americans at large are not aware
of the systematic, skiliful and sleepleas
propaganda Waged against national de-
Tense at Washington The drive Is CEN
tered In the activities Of the "Natlona!
Council for Prevention Of War" The
council has spent $370.000 since Sep
'ember. 1921. including 100000 IN 1927
From now on" the councils bulletin
states. normal DEVELOPMENT viii re-
ulre an additional $4,000 each year
uc. an annual budget OF $40 000l IN
perform the necessary tasks that iail
to US"
Two veterans Of the Washington Press
gallery bumped into each other un~
awarea In their old haunts this week
One was Albert Halstead. now American
consul general at Montreal. and the
other was Oscar King Davis. who Is stili
a scribe, Halstcad was In the gallery Is
years ago, when Washington corrc~
spondent of the Brooklyn Standard
Union and Philadelphia Evening Tcle-
granh, Previous to that he was cub
reporter In Washington for the Cinein-
natl Commercial Gazette, OF which his
distinguished father. Murat Halstead,
was editor. Davis was correspondent nt
l'the New York Times and Philadelphia
Public Ledger. No man was closer la
TEDDY" Roosevelt. During the Bun
Moose campaign In 1912. 20. X" was
IN charge Of publicity.
Herbert Hoover IL personally and pri~
vately, AS well AS politically. dry fiih
rel0inet tn Senator Boraha prohibition
auia a,Irprlaes nobody who has ever
been at the Hoover family table on
either formal or informal occasions
Liquor IL never served there, Hts friends
declare that the Secretary of Commerce
IL, and practically always has been
tee -totnler. Undoubtedly the prohibition
issue and the respective views OF Hoover
and Willis will enter conspio,io,lsly into
The Ohio primary night Willis II conn"
dent his bone dry record and reply 10
nofah viii impress Buckeye Republican,
voters when they compare them WIN
H0nyer'a letter The cabinet otiicef's oh
seryation that prohibition Ii an expert"
ment" which must be worked out cnn~
slruc,lveiy" Is branded by the Willis
camp "a bit Of straddie and u sop 10
m0diflcatinnints.
The Mellon Reed tight In thWati VII
liam n, Wares ambition Ia he Republican
dictator of Pennsylvania Ii hlstnry re.
peating itself. Since time inmentnrial
tho Philadelphia q. q, r. organization