Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-29
BIG NAVY GROUP
ATTACKS HOOVER
Charges Ignorance and Ac-
cuses Him of Entering Sc
Cret Pact at Rapidan.
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Continued From Fist Page
strict, to reduce and to starve the
United States Navy--under the present
plea OF budget limitation on which we
may have further cause to comment"
The league launches into its discus
sion in this wise:
Examination Of previous naval moves
by President Hoover indicates q condi-
ton precedent that throws much light
on his recent mandatory order that the
budget estimate of $40l, 000, 900, which
the Navy Department had submitted
for the fiscal year ending on June 80.
1893, be cut by SCI 900, 600 down to
$340, 000, 600"
had become President in the Spring of
1929 Congress had Just enacted by
votes of about to l in both Houses
that the United States would lay down
and build five 10,000-ton S-inch gun
cruisers in each of the three tmmedi-
ately ensuing fiscal years. Yet, the
league continues, within five months
of entering the White House President
Hoover held up the building Of the first
5 of the Is cruisers Congress had just
ordered be built on a definite time
schedule-and he did this as friendly
gesture preparatory TO naval confer
ence he proposed, a gesture that was not
commensurately copied by other pros
pective participants, although, when
Judged by treaty ratios, they greatly
excelled US In under-age ships built and
building
Kept Rapidan Record Secret.
1.-THE Presidents initiative for a con-
- 1nA ~ HE ions of the
Rapidan with the British prime min
lister, which, admittedly, reached agree
ments that have never officially been
divulged In their entirety, which sug-
gests why the administration refused to
allow even an executive session OF the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
to see the full record of its negotiations
and possible commitments preparatory
to the London Naval Conference OF
$780,
With reference to the unemployment
situation, the league says
"As the administration, when seek
ing ratification of its London treaty
had implied that the principal purpose
thereof was to give the United States
a chance to catch up-at cost OF
admittedly more than a billion dollars
1t seems permissible to point out that
the Navy League, in advocating mucn
more moderate program than that
called for by the administrations treaty,
has acted with a restraint not supposed
to be characteristic. of that mythical
big navy group which the administra-
ton apparently delights in holding up
the public opprobrium.
Would Aid Employment.
at is also pertinent to point out, as
appears in a statement issued by the
Navy League under date of the 2 Octo-
Der. 1881. that whereas the maximum
seems willing to permit would give en-
ployment to an average OF merely So
600 men between the / January, 1882,
and the 80 June, 1888, If the Navy
Leagues program were TO be promptly
put in practice, it would give direct en-
ployment during those ID months to an
average of nearly 10l 900 men as well
as the indirect stimulus to business and
employment that would result from
naval building than President Hoover
seems willing to permit"
n Dealing with the proposed holiday In
naval building, the League asserts:
IF President Hoover'S administers
ton accepts the proposal made by the
League Of Nations, it does so knowing
that its action specifically serves Brit
iah and Japanese interests to the pref
udice of analogous interests OF the
bility of the President Is primarily to
and for the United states. But, as
suggested above, we should look deeper
than lack of knowledge or the facts for
an understanding Of the Presidents
policy as to the Navy
While this statement was being dis
tributed, agitation over the Nays in