NAVAL STRENGTH

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19719, 9 September 1929, Page 9

NAVAL STRENGTH

PAID PROPAGANDA ALLEGED. U.S. SHIPBUILDING FIRMS. MR HOOVER'S STATEMENT. (UNITED I'f.ISS ASSOCIATION —8T KLECTP.IC TXLBGBAJH —COPYSIOHr ) (Received September Bth, 3.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON", September 6. j A sensation was caused by President Hoover's statement, to-day, of the existence of paid propaganda against the present naval limitations activity. A suit was recently filed by a well-known civilian naval expert, Mr William Schearer, against three of the largest American j ship-building concerns, for his services , as their propagandist supporting in-! creased armaments. President Hoover announced that he had ordered the Attorney-General, Mr William Mitchell, to investigate the activities of Schearer, who testified in a New York law suit against the three companies for a commission of more than 300,000 dollars, for his efforts at Geneva to discourage naval disarmament while in the secret employ of corporations interested in naval contracts. The President said: "Part of this propaganda has been directed to create international distrust and hatred. It is obviously against the public interests for those who have a financial interest in, or may engage in, contracts for the construction of naval vessels, secretly to attempt to influence public opinion or public officials by propaganda in favour of larger armaments, and attempt to defeat the efforts of Governments in the world limitation of such armaments, or to employ persons for such purpose." President Hoover called upon the three corporations, each of which is now building cruisers for the United States, to state their side of the case in reply to the allegations of Schearer during, and before, the Geneva Conference. "It is due to the public, due to the Government, and due to the corporations themselves," declared President Hoover. Responsible officials of the corporations issued a statement denying Schearer's charges.—Australian Press Association, United Service. 'NAVAL COMMITTEE ENQUIRY. (Received September Bth, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 7. The expansion of the scope of the proposed enquiry next Tuesday by the Senate Naval Committee, into the activities of Mr William Schearer, the "Big Navy" advocate, to inclnde officers of the American Brown BovejiElectrie Corporation, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, and Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, which Schearer claims he represented at the 1927 Geneva Naval Limitations Conference, was urged to-day by Senator Borah. —Australian Press Association, United Service.