Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
AggVER D|SARiMS
fB:jG navy. GROUP
His Pronunciation of Shearer
as 'ia'Propagandist" Regard
;ar'
ed as Effective Strategy.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Hoover has taken advantage
of O development in the fight between
the '"big Navy group and the admin
istration to disarm his opponents.
Ever since the talk of a reduction
in armament between the United States
and Great Britain began to be taken
seriously by the two governments. the
naval group In the United States has
beer, quietly gathering strength to break
down the movement. It has been one
of the most vexatious phases of public
policy with which Mr.. Hoover has had
to deal. His suspension of cru ser build
ing was attacked as beyond the law, and
while there was no way to prove that
selfish interests in shipbuilding were
part Of the opposition it was felt here
that the organized attack on the Presi-
dents policy was not by any means
accidental. go
Propagandists who are fighting the
naval policy of the administration are
not the kind who can very well come
out in the open, so the administration
does not see the actors behind the scene,
though 1t knows fully the effect Of their
work.
. Adopts Coolidge Rules.
Under the rules laid down by Presi-
dent Coolidge and which are heartily
concurred In by President Hoover mem
bers of the executive branch of the
Government are forbidden to oppose
appropriations or budget figures settled
upon by the Chief Executive or cabinet
officers. This, however, does not en-
tirely silence Army or Navy officers who
manage to- get their views privately
before members of Congress or who are
summoned to appear before congress
sional committee and then are COM
PEELED to testify.
When they, get on the witness stand
they often reveal opposition to the adj
n1inistration from the viewpoint of mil
itary or naval experts. This, In itself,
is not challenged as improper, but it
is a. fact that. members of Congress are
constantly given ammunition to support
the views of big Navy advocates in Con-
greSs, and much of this ammunition 1t
is believed comes from Army and Navy
officers.
While it is not always the case. never
thelesS, in many instances, the big
Navy advocates in Congress come from
States where large shipyards are To-
Gated or where raw material needed IN
shipbuilding are manufactured. Most
members of Congress have always felt
an obligation to protect their constitu-
ents, whether it be on naval construc-
ton or on tariff duty. This admins
tration, on the other hand, takes the
view that a world at peace means a
stimulated commerce and better mar
ket both for shipbuilding and raw ma
terials II the threat Of competitive
armament is eliminated and war clouds
are dissipated.
Borah Makes Disclosure.
The Presidents denunciation of VIII
liam 3. Shearer as naval propagan-
dist came after Senator Borah had
called the matter to the attention OF
the Senate naval affairs committee. It
Is not expected that any serious result
will come from the incident, because
Mr.. Shearer has always been an advo-
cate of big Navy and technical
expert. If he was employed by Amer
lean shipbuiiding companies to go to
Geneva or If he rendered service to
them while there, the defense prob
ably will be that the information was
sought to keep American companies in
formed on the matters in which they
had to be advised first hand in detail.
But to know week or TWO in advance
whether construction would be resumed.
whether the conference was likely to
succeed or break down, was something
which American companies would re-
gard under such circumstances as bust
ness information of vital character.
The big question is whether Mr.
Shearer at !" Geneva attempted to OBJ
struct an agreement and whether he
was paid for these services or whether
he was there as an agent of information
on the one hand for American COM
pantes and propa 9andiSt in his own
behalf. Mr.. Shearar has always been an
advocate of a big Navy and it never
was known that he was professionally
employed for that purpose. 1t remains
to be seen when he appears before the
Senate committee whether his position
is any different from that of many of
the lawyers who appear In advocacy. of
o cause and get paid for so doing.
Paid Propaganda Problem.
The whole subject of paid propaganda
and lobbying has been discussed in Con-
gresS from time to time, but nothing
tangible has ever been done about it.
President Wilson decried against the
lobbyist when the Underwood tariff bin
was under discussion and Mr.. Coolidge
complained about the efforts to frus-
trate his economy program. In both in
stances a declaration from the White
House was effective and the probabilities
are that Mr.. Hoover's aggressive state
ment will do for his disarmament policy
what was accomplished by his predeces-
sor-namely, a driving to cover Of op-
ponentS and squelching Of opposition.
It Is true that Mr.. Hoover is a be-
lated participant in the controversy
and that news Of Shearer's suit against
the shipbuilding companies for money
que Tor services rendered at Geneva Is
q month old, but from strategic point
OF view 1t is considered none the less
effective and may have its repercus-
slons abroad. where Premier MacDon-
aid Is supposed to be having the same
KIND OF trouble with big navy forces.
(Copyrisht. 1897