Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-27
SECRET ARMS PLAN
FOR LEAGUE FOUND
international Defense Sys-
tenn Outlined in Confiden.
tiaI Navy Files.

Disclosure Of the existence In the
secret flles of the Navy Department of
confidential plan for q League OF
Nations Army and Navy was COM
plete surprise to Secretary of the Navy
Adams and other high Government
officials. 1t was learned today.
Secretary Adams declared he had
never heard of the plan until recently,
and knew nothing about it at the time
of the London Naval Conference. yhe
Navy Secretary denied emphatically
that any such plan was considered in
London.
Examination of the records of the
Navy Department today, disclosed that
In 1917 the then Secretary of the Navy,
JoSephuS Daniels, in his annual report
predicted establishment of an inter
national navy" and 1t is understood
the plan for such a force was worked
out about year later at the direction
of the late President Wilson. The plan
has remained in the dusty files of the
department since that time, and it is
said that few persons knew 1t was
there until some weeks ago, when Rep
resentative McClintic, Democrat, Okla
homa, of the House naval affairs COM
mittee inquired about 1t.
Mr.. McClintic received from Acting
Secretary of the Navy Jahncke a letter
telling of the finding of a confidential
paper entitled Proposed Plans for
Establishment of League of Nations
Army and Navy" and this letter the
Oklahoma Representative read to the
House naval affairs committee yester-
hn
ization Of three battleships.
Mention No Action.
Secretary Adams planned to issue a
statement later today regarding his
knowledge of the document. The files
of the department do not contain any
record as to what action, If any, ever
was taken on the secret plan, which
never was made public.
News of the finding of the document
created a stir at the Capitol and
treaty to link the plan with the London
discussions.
The document has been brought to
the attention of Secretary Of State
Stimson. It. was learned today.
The 1917 report of Secretary Daniels
contains the following excerpts:
THE necessity for naval vessels will
continue, but among the policies that
will be approved in the Peace Confer
ence that will follow war there should
be incorporated a provision guarantee
ing an international navy to enforce
international DEGREES.
Each 10 Contribute.
ITO this international navy. COM
posed of separate naval establishments
of all nations, each country should
contribute in proportion to its wealth
and population or upon some plan to
insure that no nation can safely chal-
lenge the DEGREES of the high inter-
national court.
ITO such a police of the sea this
country will be ready to make full
contribution and to that end the ex-
pansion that now crowds all the old
and new shipbuilding resources will
soon place this country in position
to furnish as many and as powerful
ships as will come from any other
country.
1T would be lasting calamity IL,
when this war ends, there should linger
as a burden upon a people, already
heavily taxed by war, a competitive
program Of costly naval construc-
tion-
AN international navy will make DOS
sible such naval development as each
nation deems fitting for its own people.
It will also serve the parliament of
man by providing q naval force ample
enough to give validity to international
DEGREES and strong enough to keep in
violate the peace OF the world"