The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-11-07

NxkICV4 NJ OVVN/
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
The President and the Navy
The argument between President
Hoover and the Navy League OF the
United States seems destined to end'
80 far as the principals are concerned
lust about where it started.
The executive committee OF the
League has upheld It's president. VIII
liam Howard Gardner, and the ON
mission appointed by the president
to investigate the matter may rea-
sonably be expected to support MS
stand and approve the course OF &C.
ton he has followed.
II this situation develops, 1t Will
be up to congress and the people to
render whatever judgment may oe
given.
The Navy Leagues position is set
forth in q 14-page pamphlet entitled
1.-THE President and The Navy" which
is signed by Gardiner. Under Its
rules, every public document issued
by the League must be signed by one
of its important officers.
The Navy League has long peer
known as an advocate of an Amerl-
can navy second to none in the world
It's efforts have been directed towaro
acouainting the people with 'aava
conditions and statistics and, wnere
POSSIBLE. inducing them to provide lo'
more fighting strength at sea. 1t Is
admittedly a big navy" organlza'
ton.
In his pamphlet. Gardiner charges
the president with having accep1ec
treaty. limitations upon the American
navy in an effort to promote the
cause Of peace. It also asserts ina
the American delegates at the Lon
don naval conference last year &C.
cepted limitations upon types o
cruisers inimical to the best interese
OF this country and contrary to tn
advice Of informed navy men. Thes'
same restrictions were rejected b.
President Coolidge in 1927 and there
by led to the failure of the naval con
ference at Geneva in that year, tn
statement says.
It further claims that, If . nava
building holiday is agreed upon TO
1882, the result will be to place TN
United States and Japan on a ton
mage par with regard to naval auxil
iaries and operate to give Japan
little the best Of It., since its ship
will be newer than u own.
The Navy League broa.1side a.
tacks the presidents proposal to I'm
munize sea-borne food supplies ]
time Of war as unsound, since 1t de
feats the very purpose OF having
navy and, therefore, no superior nav
power would subscribe to it. Particl
lar emphasis is laid on the fact TIL
England's attitude toward the SUI
restion was markedly cool.
As might be expected, there Is col
siderable argument in the pamphl
but much Of 1t deals with what Is ?
serted to be fact and the burden
it all is that the United States is slil
ping backward as a naval power 81
that President Hoover is aiding
the process.
The presidents attitude Is reveal
by his navy-day statement in viii
he said:
ours is q force Of defense. not
offense. TO maintain forces less
than that strength is to destroy
national safety; to maintain
greater forces is not only eco
nomic injury to people but
threat against our neighbors. .
Our problem is to prevent
extremists on one side from un'
dermining the public will to sup
port our necessary forces and tx
prevent extremists on the othel
side from waste Of public funds.
And there you have 1t. There
plenty Of basis for argument.
The history Of the United Sta
aiaows that 1t always has permit
It's armed forces to slip into inno<
ous deseutude In times Of peace, O.
to revive them with great hustle q
at heavy expense when the next
crisis came. This has been true
both sea and land defenses. Z
pressing needs Of the moment hi
always operated to cut down m
tary expenditures in time of peace
High taxation has become a r
problem In this. country and tn
asking lower levies would hardly I
prove big expenditures to build
the navy.
On the other hand, the people HI