Imperial Valley press., 1931-11-13
HO()VE:R'S
PROGRAM
ADOPTED
Naval Economy Will Not
Impair Efficiency Says
Report.
GARDINER RETURNS
New Broadside Expected
To Be Answer Of Navy
League President.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10. U.P)--
President Hoover appeared today
to have won his battle for extensive
naval economies without impairing
the efficiency of the naval estab-
lisnmenJ or substantially reducing
new Warship construction.
In q formal statement, the Pres
ident announced that congress
would be asked for a S343 100000
navy department appropriation next
year, a reduction Of Sl7,000,000 un-
der last years appropriation, and
$50 600 900 under the amount asked
by the department. Mr.. Hoover
had demanded a cut of SCI 900 900
from the original S401 100000 which
the department wanted for the fis-
cal year beginning next July 1.
Mr.. Hoovers statement was gen.
orally interpreted as a further
broadside against the Navy League
and as supplementing last weeks
report of the presidential commits
sion generating the President of
"abysmal ignorance OF naval mat
tiers.
1t came almost simultaneously
with the return of William Howard
Gardiner, president Of the Navy
League to Washington TO prepare
his answer to the presidential re-
futation. Gardiner had expected to
issue a statement tomorrow, but he
has deferred his remarks until mex
Monday
The President emphasized that
the navy budget slash would be ef-
fected without commissioning a
single fighting ship, reducing navy
| personnel by one man, or closing
any navy yard.
Certain minor economies, such as
laying up the old Frigate Constitu-
ton, have also been eliminated.
The budget announcement furth-
er significantly asserted that the
tonnage of combatant ships actual
ly in construction by the United
States today is nearly double that
of Great Britain and in addition
we are engaged in modernization
Of three battleships"
~ notatt Sibpo
Although Mr.. Hoover did not re-
veal how the economies were to be
effected, it was assumed a plan for
rotating ships in active service
would be the chief basis Of the saw
ings. Under this plan, approxi-
mately 20 per cent of the active
fleet would be temporarily laid up
Wi re- yiy
stated period they would be res
placed by ships of similar classi-
fication, thus saving operating
costs.
Discussing new ship construction,
the chief basis of the Navy Leagues
sensational attack on the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Hoover said that S57 000,-
coo will be available for this pur-
pose. According to statistical table
made public by the President, this
is a large expenditure for new ships
than fer any year since 1925.
However, the appropriation fo-
this purpose is less than one-third
the annual average needed to place
the United States on parity with
England in 1886, when the London
Treaty expires.
THE budget" Mr.. Hoover said.
provides for the continued COR
struction of every one of the treaty
ships authorized by congress except
six destroyers.
THE program proposed will not
decrease but slightly increase the
total direct and indirect employ
ment in the navy in naval con-
struction in the next fiscal year,
over and above that Of the present
year.
The deferment of these six des-
troyers out Of the II authorized has
not only been a measure Of economy
out a policy of ma ntaining even
construction in destroyer programs
and maintenance Of eVenness OF
employment in the yards"
The Presidents statement was In
terpreted by naval officials today
as meaning the definite end Of any
hope of presidential approval for
so-called building program"