Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28
Hoover Confident Congress
Will Not Interfere in
Reduction Plans.
LINES DROPPED
IN CRUISER ALIGNMENT
Gibson Goes to London to Aid
Dawes in Negotiations With
Macdonald.

Conf1dent that Congress will not
hamper his naval reduction neeotia-
tions, despite dispute over his post
ponement of cruiser construction, Presi-
dent Hoover is trying to expedite steps
for the disarmament conference, not
only to maintain the momentum Of the
world peace movement but also to
simplify his problem at home.
Several Democrats and insurgent Re-
publicans were among Senators rallying
to his support yesterday against the big
Navy group. as Hugh S. Gibson. Ameri-
can Ambassador to Belgium and chief
American delegate at recent disarma-
ment conferences, was authorized to
return to London to rejoin Charles G.
Dawes, American Ambassador to the
Court OF st. James. in preparations for
further conference.
1t was learned also that the Presi-
dent personally is applying his engineer
mind to the task of trying to evolve the
all-important yardstick of equivalent
values by which it is hoped to establish
parity between the American and Brit
ish navieS and proceed to reduce pro.
portionately all the principal navies Of
the world.
Studies Navy Facts.
Navy officers said the President has
called for all available technical data
on the naval strength of all nations
and, with great charts and diagrams
before him. is devoting hours at a time
to the problem OF working out his own
theory.
The theory was broached to the re-
cent Geneva conference of the League
Of Nations preparatory commission by
Ambassador Gibson. Since previous at
tempts to agree on reduction or limita-
ton with tonnage displacement as the
principal basis have failed. the Presi-
dent is firmly convinced that the ability
of the next conference to break the
deadlock lies largely in the development
Of a satisfactory formula for taking into
account the age, speed. cruising radius
and gun caliber and elevati ton and varj-
Gus other factors of warships, in addi-
ton to tonnage.
With the big Navy group challenging
the Presidents right to hold UP three Of
the five cruisers in the 15-crliser pro-
gram that were to have been laid down
this Fall, Senator William H. King,
Democrat Of Utah. Senator Smith W.
Brookhart of Iowa and Senator William
E. Borah of Idaho. Republicans; issued
statements upholding the Presidents
hand.
McNutt Criticized.
Senator Brookhart also sharply criti-
cized the opposition to the plan voiced
by Paul v. McNutt, commander Of the
American Legion.
Senator King reiterated his proposal
to introduce resolution sustaining Mr..
Hoover's course, If necessary, declared
that the importance of parity in
British-American naval discussions was
being very much Ver-emphaSized, that
Britain'S special needs considering her
far-f1ung possessions. should be recog-
nized, and that the United States now
has the most powerful navy in the
world, despite the cruiser disparity be-
tween our Navy and Britains.
This republic, which should be the
moral leader of the world. and the
military preparations than any country
in the world" Senator King said. Its
military appropria ton for the current
year was more than $500, 900 900, and
il the plans of the Army and Navy de-
partments are carried into effect. there
will be annual increases for an indefi-
mite period of time.
U. s. Most Powerful
THE statement of Ramsay Mac
Donald indicates that Great Britain IS
anxious to join with the United States.
as we'll as with all other nations. for
the purpose of relieving the people Of
tine heavy burdens resulting from pres
ent military policies. That the Labor
government of Great Britain is acting
in good faith. no one can deny; the
United States should earnestly CO.
operate with it in reducing naval arIna-
mentS. The demands recently made
by the Navy Department of the United
States for II additional naval vessels
are not in consonance with the vocifer-
Gus claims so often heard, that this
republic is not militaristic, or desirous
of world hegemony. We now have the
most powerful Navy in the world. Our
capital ships are superior to those of
Great Britain. and in every other form
of fighting craft save one our Navy is
superior to that Of Great Britain. In
cruiser strength we are inferior to Great
Britain. but many Of her cruisers are
old and soon will be obsolete"
Senator David I. Walsh of Massa-
chusetts and Senator Pat Harrison,
other leading Democratic Senators.
have already lined up behind the
President. All of this group were
aligned against the President in his
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