Evening star., 1934-01-22
COMMITTEE SEES
NEAR TREATY NAVY
IN REPORTING BILL
House Group Discounts Fear
of Admiral StandIey on
Fleets Condition.
INCREASE OF $500 MEN
ALSO IS PROVIDED FOR
Appropriation of 1924, 4,747,o 900 Fa-
vored-$1,200, 900 Is Given to
Start Work on Three Cruisers.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
A United States Navy near London
Treaty limits upon completion of its
present program was pictured today by
the House Appropriations Committee in
reporting a 1924, FAT 900 naval supply
bill
Taking issue with statements by
Admiral William H. Standby, chief of
naval operations, that the condition OF
the fleet was not satisfactory, the COM
mittee reported construction under way
which upon completion will bring us
current with treaty limitations in all
combatant categories, completely dis
counting over-age tonnage"
The committee provided for an in
crease of $500 enlisted naval and 1000
marine personnel.
The committee voted to override
Budget Director Douglas and authorize
s1.200,000 to start three new 6-inch
gun cruisers in the next fiscal year.
Strength Is Compared.
The bill carried s33,619,334 for 'in-
crease Of the Navy" 100000 more
than the budget director recommended
Naval officials told the committee in
detail what construction had been
undertaken recently by other nations
and presented many tables showing
comparative strength of treaty nations.
One showed that whereas the treaty
ratio between Great Britain, Japan and
the United States was supposed to be
5-5@3, present construction plans,
even including the recovery act aHoca-
ton of s238,000,o00 for building and
the completion of 81 ships now ar
ranged for, would put the United States
at 10, Great Britain at 1913 and Japan
at 8. ..
Another showed that for the three
nations to have full quotas in under
age ships when. the treaty, expires De-
cember 81, 1886, the United States
must build l02 new vessels: Great
Britain. 64, and Japan. none. Further
more, a note added that Japan must
scrap or convert into training vessels
several modern ships she now possesses
to keep within her treaty allowances"
The entire measure provides $23,-
922 900 less than the current appropr1-
ations and $1,585 900 below budget esti-
mates. Transfers of unused funds
totaling S9,085 900, however. will bring
the actual cash Withdrawals from the
Treasury for the Navy to s293, 1888, 900.
Naval Shortage Faced.
Admiral Standley urged the committee
to increase Navy enlisted personnel to
81, 900, although, saying he realized
President Roosevelt had asked for only
80 500 men,
If the United States built up to the
london treaty requirements, he said.
the annual maintenance cost would be
S458,535 900. At the end of the fiscal
year 1885. however. he asserted. the
United States on the basis of go per
cent compliments would be short 10,O25
enlisted men and IL ships not includ-
ing replacements Of destroyers and sub
marines.
Even the newest battleships, Stand
ley said, should be nfodernized, but not
in the immediate future They include
the West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee,
California, Colorado. He said the al
New York need new engines.
1.-The condition of the remaining bat
factory" he added. 1.-The two large
aircraft carriers Lexington and Sara
toga) are retrogressing materially.
THE situation in regard to our de-
stroyers Is critical and I gravely doubt
the ability of these boats to efficiently
perform the services that would be re-
quired of them in wartime operations.
Most of our submarines are either
over age or nearing the age limit and
as result of age becoming increasingly
expensive to maintain. At present OF
the 81 submarines on the Navy list SO
are over age and on December 81, 1885,
only ID will be under age"
Report by Committee.
Representative Ayres (Democrat) OF
Kansas commented:
Admiral, should say that you have
not presented q very happy situation as
to the material condition of our ships"
In its report. the committee said:
while we may have large propor-
tion of destroyers technically over age,
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