The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-26
HOOVER AGAIN
ATTACKED BY
NAVY LEAGUE
Starvation of Nations Sea
Defenders Charged in
Latest Blast.
PROBE GROUP ASSAILED
Vindication Committee Is
Challenged on Accuracy
of Report.
RH United Press

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-The re-
cent bitter controversy between
President Hoover and the Navy
League was reopened with added
vigor today by the league, which
reiterated its charges that Hoover
is Starving" the navy.
The league, in pamphlet issued
over the signature of its chairman,
Walter Bruce Howe, defended as
accurate its figures designed to
show the United States navy is in
adequate, and attacked both the
President and his recent "vindica-
ton" committee, which purported to
refute earlier league allegations.
A fuller reply to the report of the
presidential committee was prom
lsed at an early date. That body
charged the league with "inaccura-
cies, false assertions, and erroneous
conclusions"
The pamphlet asserted that the
President has failed to carry out
1928 campaign promises of an ade-
quate navy.
Record Is ASsaiIed
Mr.. Hoover has been President
for nearly three years." the league
said. During that time MANY of
our ships, particularly deStroyers
have been going over age and are
due for requirements. But Mr.
Hoover has not inaugurated a sin
gle move to provide for replace
ments-not to mention upbuilding
in categorieS where we are below
treaty levels"
All the construction, it added,
has been inherited from previous
administrations, but for five de-
stroyers.
Such has been the Presidents
unconstructive record as to naval
building since he has been Presi-
dent"
Copies of the pamphlet were sent
to the President, his cabinet mem
bers and all members of congress.
1t was said at the White House
that Mr.. Hoover had no statement
to make, at least for the present.
Tn pamphlet reaffirms, in effect
the charges that precipitated the
leagues fight with the President
the assertion of William Howard
Gardiner, league president, that Mr.
Hoover was "abysmally ignorant" of
naval matters and was a "congen-
ital pacif1st."
Report Is Challenged
Mr.. Hoover demanded a public
apology from Gardiner and the
League, and appointed a committee
TO investigate the assertions, which
were packed with figures designed to
show that the navy is weak and
getting weaker to the danger point.
The committee upheld the Pres
1dent, after investigating navy and
state department statistics.
A statement in the presidential
report, which quoted the navy legaue
as estimating relative United States
and Japanese strength as United
States 10, Japan 1871, was challenged
by the league today. It claimed that
what it actually said was that the
strength of the three great naval
powers was United States 10. Britain
1871, Japan 10.
1T is astonishing that a pres
ldential committee, set up as a
tribunal of accuracy before which
no representative of the NAVY
League was allowed to appear. has
permitted itself to make such an
obviously incorrect statement" the
report said.
1T is to be regretted deeply that
Mr.. Hoover'S committee, in its re-
port, repeatedly relies on this same
mlsstatement to attack the accuracy
OF the assertions made on behalf of
the league, and adopts it as a basis
for its findings of inaccuracy. false
assertions, and erroneous con-
cluSiOnS."