Evening star., 1938-02-14
Instructions to
Roosevelt Are
Proposed.
HULL WON'T TALK
ABOUT CONFERENCE
Pittman Says Call Now
Would Indicate u. S.
Weakness.

BACKGROUND
President Roosevelt has asked
Congress for authorization to er-
pdnd the United States naval ton
mage by 20 per cent in the face of
9roW1ng menace from abroad and
dccumuldting evidence OF the
breakdown OF international law.
Hearings on bill haue been held bu
House Naudl Affairs Committee
and haue ELECTED bitter opposition.
BY the Associated Press.
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah
asked Congress today to instruct Presi-
dent Roosevelt to call an international
arms conference.
Shortly before Senator King pro-
posed this in resolution, Representa-
tive Fish, Republican, of New Yark sug-
gested before the House Naval Com
mittee that new disarmament con-
Terence should grant Japan naval par
ity with the United States.
Downtown, Secretary Hull. ques-
TONED about this Government atti-
tude toward requests that the United
States call a conference, remarked
that many things are being published
In different capitals about movements
Tor naval disarmament, general dis
armament and general peace.
Denies Conferring.
He added to his press conference.
however. that he would prefer to let
his qCestioners form Their own con-
clusions. The Secretary said he had
not conferred with any one in either
House OF Congress on the subject of
q conference.
Senator Kings resolution said: THE
increase in world aImaments is caus-
ing deep concern among the people OF
all nations and is regarded by them
as provocative of international con-
fiict.
Such increase imposes heavy bur-
dens of taxation upon the people and
every form of industry and interrupts
trade and commerce smong nations"
Mr.. King proposed, therefore. that
the President be requested to in
vite the governments with which the
United States has diplomatic rela-
tions" to q conference to be held in
Washington lin the interest of world
peace and the relief of all nations
from the burdens of inordinate and
unnecessary expenditures for arma-
ments.'
Pittman Fears Weakness.
However, Chairman Pittman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
whose views generally coincide with
those OF the administration OH foreign
policy, told reporters calling such a
conference at this time would in
dicate weakness" on the part of this
country
Senator Pittman expressed doubt
that a conference at this time would
produce results. He recalled what he
termed the failure" of the Washing
ton Naval Conference of 1922 and of
the more recent London meeting. He
said there was less reason now than
before those two parleys to believe
that success would follow such q
meeting.
Cites Expert Opinions.
Representative Fish told the House
committee considering the proposed
$500, 900, 900 naval expansion program
that naval experts had stated that
Japan could not attack this country
successfully, even with a navy as large
as the American Fleet
Why can't we give Japan equality"
he asked, unless We intend to do what
! think We are trying to do, and that
Is police and quarantine the world?"
Under the now defunct London
Navay Treaty, the naval strength Of
Great Britain, the United States and
Japan was fixed on 5-5-3 basis.
This allowed Britain and the United
States navies of equal strength and
Japan a navy in the ratio of 3 to 5 as
compared with the United States
Theological Student Testifies.
Before Mr.. Fish testified, 2O-year-
old theological student, opposing the
expansion program, told the commit
tee he would not fight to protect his
mother and sisters from foreign In.
vaders.
He was Frank Littell, student at
Union Theological Seminary. New
York, who said he spoke as social
action chairman of the National
(See NAVAL, Page A-3.)