The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-14
U. 5. MAY keep
ENTIRE FLEET
IN THE PACIFIC
0minouS Trend Of Events
in Far East Is Hinted
as Reason.
RETICENT ON PLANS
Almost All Seaworthy Ships
of Navy Now Are OFF
West Coast.
BY JOSEPH II. BAIRD
United Press STAFF Correspondent

WASHINGTON, April l4.-1ne
entire United States feet may be
kept in the Pacific indefinitely. Of
ficials of the navy department said
today this course was under con-
sideration." No orders to this effect
have been issued yet.
Reports were current that the
state department had suggested
that the navy should not return
the scouting feet to the Atlantic,
as scheduled. officials of the de-
partment we're certain that this
suggestion had not been made
formally to the navy in writing, but
would not say what advice Secre-
tary Henry L. Stimson might have
given informally to Admiral VIII
liam V. Pratt, chief of naval opera
tions. The two have had numerous
conferences during the last Two
months. Stimson now is at Geneva.
When navy department officials
were asked about the state depart
ment's reported suggestion, they
said they could not discuss the mat
ter
Remain in Pacific
Virtually all seaWorthy vessels OF
the United States fleet, save some
submarines, miscellaneous vessels,
and ships laid up for repair, now
are concentrated in the Pacific
They total LOT.
The scouting feet, normally based
in the Atlantic, was sent to the
west coast about two months ago,
during the height of the Far East
ern trouble. The dispatch OF these
ships conceded with plans for naval
maneuvers in the Pacific and Of
ficials contended at the time that
the ship movements had no connec-
ton with the Japanese-Chinese
quarrel.
The scheduled feet maneuvers
are completed. Yet the scouting
feet remains in the Pacific. So far
as could be ascertained here, no or
ders have been issued to return 1t
to the Atlantic.
Oficials were reluctant to discuss
the reported plan to keep the At
lantic naval forces in the Pacific.
They deprecated the idea that there
was anything unusual or sensation
al in the present disposition of
fighting ships.
Deny Cause for Alarm
Observers in daily contact with
the state department found nc
reason to believe there was any
cause for immediate alarm, so far
as the United States was concerned
in the far eastern situation.
Yet authentic dispatches reach
ing Washington point to an ever
increasing tension between Japar
and Russia in Manchuria. The
Chinese and Japanese still are al
odds.
For some weeks there has beer
intensive military activity on the
Manchurian-S Siberian border. Rus
STA has been concentrating troops
and grain at Vladivostok, its i'm
portant Pacific port, adjacent tx
Japanese controlled Korea.
More than sixty locomotives be-
longing to the Chinese Eastern
railroad jointly controlled by China
and Russia, have been withdraw
from Manchuria into Siberia by
the Russians.
Apparently the Russians fear thai
the chinese Eastern may be seizec
by some foreign power and are
anxious to keep as much rolling
stock as possible within theil
borders.
East Is Powder Magazine
A train carrying japanese troops
was blown up in Manchuria early
this week. Without making specific
charges, Japanese spokesman in
toxic blamed agents of some foreign
power for the explosion. The cpl
sode has increased the tension be-
tween Japan and Russia.
Speaking informally, American
officials admit that the Far East
now is a veritable powder maya
zine. Hence the disposition to keep
United States naval forces in the
Pacific sufficiently strong to rescue
Americans from danger spots and
to meet any emergency that may