UNITED STATES NAVY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 76, 22 December 1924, Page 7

UNITED STATES NAVY

PREPAREDNESS AND MODERNITY ADVISABLENESS OF HAWAIIAN MANOEUVRES RAGING TOPICS OF DISPUTE IN WASHINGTON The question of the preparedness and modernity of the United States Navy and the advisableness of the Hawaiian manoeuvres and the Australian and New Zealand visit have become raging topics of dispute in Washington, while Mr. Britten, who proposes the holding of a conference of the white races of the Pacific, has caused an uproar in Congress with his agitation. By Telegbafh.—Press AssociationCopybight. (Reo. December 21, 11.5 p.m.) Washington, December 20. Gradually working through various phases, the discussion of the question of the preparedness and modernity of the American navy, including the advisableness of the Hawaiian manoeuvres, and the Australian and New Zealand visit, has become the outstanding problem facing the United States Government. It has become a raging topic of dispute in Washington, and has assumed the most prominent news proportions of any question sinoe the Japanese exclusion, the echo of which still reverberates in the present clash over the navy. Bitter Debates In congress. Mr. Britton for three days has kept Congress in a continuous uproar with his agitation, over which there quickly mustered opponents and proponents, who came nearly to open blows in the House of Representatives. To-day and yesterday they fought bitterly over the advisableness of approaching the navy question in any manner in which Japanese feeling might be slighted. Messrs. Wingo and Rathbone took sides while Mr. Huddleston led the opponents, bitterly assailing the manodivros, Mr. Huddleston reiterated: , “The Japanese know that the only imaginary enemy we could possibly have would lie the Japanese fleet, and Japan is the imaginary enemy against which we are defending Hawaii. It seems strange that anyone who knows enough to have produced the decision to hold the maneouvres there did not know enough of international affairs* to recognise the impropriety of it. Mr. Rathbone’s rejoinder was that Japan had been holding recent manoeuvres, while Mr. Wingo abruptly ordered the newspapers and Congress to keep their mouths shut and permit Mr. Hughes and President Coolidge to conduct the foreign relations el the country. Mr. Britten, after reiterating America’s right to manoeuvre where she wished introduced . various resolutions, aside from the proposal to call a conference of white races. One was for an inquiry to determine whether the nayy had fallen below the 5 —5 —3 ratio, and another providing for an extra appropriation of 101,000,000 dollars for the special modernisation of the navy, including mor's aircraft cairiers, gun elevation, new boilers, scout cruisers, etcIn the meantime, the Senate s action upon the 300,000,000 dollar Supply Bill, which includes manoeuvres and the fleet visit outlay, is eagerly awaited. President Coolidge Disturbed. President Coolidge is apparently extremely disturbed over the navy agitation. He has taken several important steps, including the admonition of naval officers against agitation as to the increasing American naval inferiority, and a publio assurance that the American navy is competent and not inferior. A gesture of friendliness was ordered to offset Mr. Britten’s moves, namely, an official welcome by the State De partment to the new Japanese Ambassador, Mr Matsudaira, and an invitation to Japan, to send a visiting fleet to American ports, which apparently Japan has accepted. British Noto Concerning Gun Eie- , vation. The arrival of a Note from Britain concerning the American project to increase the gun elevation has further complicated the situation. Mi ■ Britten is again introducing a resolution irequesting Mz Wilbur, Secretary of the Navy, to give the House information concerning any foreign Powers’ objections to the gun elevation. Another complicating aspect was introduced by an alleged statement by Baron Kato, in Tokiq, that Japan had unofficially declined an American offer to send a fleet on a courtesy visit to Japanese ports. The Washington authorities declined to comment thereon, and now Mr. Shidehara denies that any such offer was made or that Baron Kato made such a statement. The Senate, which hitherto apparently has remained silent over the various controversies, now has entered the arena over the gun elevation aspect, and probably will join the House in asking for information from Mr. Wilbur.—Aus.-NZ. Gable Assn. PRESS TAKING SIDES EFFECT ON JAPAN (Rec. December 21, 11.5 p.m.) Washington, December 20. The Press in the meantime is actively taking sides. Such newspapers as the “New York Times’’ insist that the manoeuvres are America’s right, and only a figment of the imagination could ascribe them to unfriendliness towards Japan. The Radical weekly, “The Nation,” and the St. Louis ‘‘Post Dispatch,” and others, contend that, irrespective of America’s rights to hold the manoeuvres, it would be unwise to give fuel to the Japanese jingoes. Some inkling can be gained concerning the extent of the controversy when it is mentioned that responsible Washington correspondents agree that the Cabinet itself is seriously divided over thv merits of the various questions, and it would not be surprising should Mr. Wilbur, who belongs to the larger navy group, resign as a result of differences of opinion with President Coolidge. This possibility is denied, but it, is incontrovertible that an. actual

demarcation of opinion exists in the Administration. — 'Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

MR. BRITTEN’S JINGOISM DENOUNCED (Rec. December 21, 5.5 p.m.) New York, December 19. The newspapers continue with one voice to praise Mr. Hughes’s unprecedented appreciation of Air. Matsudaira, who has been appointed .Japanese Ambassador. They practically unite in denouncing Mr. Britten s jingoism. . , , The “Herald Tribune” points put that “before the Washington Conference an alarming situation did exist, which, however, was cleared up by the friendly co-operation of the two ers. The Americans will welcome Jin Matsudaira’s appointment to the Ambassadorship in the United States. They consider a Pacific compact highly desirable, with an international agreement, in the maintenance of which both the Japanese and American interests converge. Therefore no time could have been less fitting for Mr. Britten’s tactless and hysterical proP °The “World” declares: “The theory underlying Mr. Britten’s white man s conference is that the Pacific Ocean is a white man’s lake, and that the millions of the yellow races are outsiders Fortunately, Mr. Britten is 9 alone in his efforts to bait the other side of the Pacific.” Even other pacific Coast Congressmen are condemning Mr. Britten s attitude. —Reuter. APPROPRIATION bill CARRIED BY HOUSE (Rec. December *2l, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, December 19. The House of Representatives passed the Naval Appropriation Bill, carrying nearly three hundred million dollaThe plan for the American Fleet.to manoeuvre off Hawaii next year w» attacked by R e P l '? sentatl ™ Huddleston of .Alabama, as tactless and inadvisable in view of ,the i state> ot public opinion m the United States ana J apan.—Reuter. TESTIMONY BEFORE COMMITTEE VALUE OF MANOEUVRES EFFECT ON THE FLEET (Rec. December 21, 11.45 p.m.) Washington, December 19. A rescript of the further testimony by Mr. Wilbur and Admiral Eberle before the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee has been obtained 1 by the Australian 1 ress AssoCl Th° n 'committce, in view of President Coolidge’s known opposition to tne recent Congressional endeavours to encourage extensive naval increases, plied two officials with numerous questions in order to determine the exact character of the Hawaiian manoeuvres and the exact advantages to be gained therefrom, and the fear was eveni mferentiallv expressed concerning the deterioration resulting from the naval units’ undertaking such a lonjr trip. Emphasis was also placed on the effect thereof upon international opinion. French asked what would probably be the most ambitious programme ever attempted by United States. IT ,. is Admiral Eberle replied: This is somewhat the. longest of the four years in which we are having manthen commented that Britain did not usually make such extensive tests. . Admiral Eberle replied, citing the Tecent British world tour, which was nuiny times longer than the plated American voyage to. Australia and New Zealand, and pointing out that the British thereby derived wonderful results in the training of crews Mr. French said: That was the thought in my mind, namely, the extent of the* American cruise and its ad Admiral 3 Eberle countered by pointing out that in the last three years the Pacific fleet during manoeuvres was practically unde? way the/ same number of days as was projected for IV/o, but the 1925 manoeuvres implied beneficial continued straightaway cruising for all kinds of training,.such as running without lights and. moving n formations that are possible only in a long, straightaway cruise. Mr French said: . In that same connection there is this other thought. There are benefits to the personne , also to the machinery, from some use but is there a point beyond which you could overdo it, beyond which you are really wearing out ships and machinery, and so on, that we shou* consider, or does this improve . Admiral Eberle replied: The ma chinery after one of these « in better shape than when the ships start A long cruise grees. experience to the Personnel in running machinery, economising fuel, and opera ting under a steady load day and night, as you would have to do in war-time. You have a choice on a long cruise to straighten out tne wrinkles, and for steady unprovement, which you do not dlsc °™ r , an J cannot have by operating for short Pe M°r dS 'Wilbur then said: “I am going to ask the Admiral whether the boflers are* deteriorated more by use Eberle replied: “I do not think so if the boilers are m good condition when they start, and are overhauled at regular intervals. I think steady steaming and the keepinn- of the same steam pressure ana getting men used to maintaining this on a long cruist, is better for the boilers than simply taking short emirts when they want to force th Representative Taber then * turned to Admiral Eberle and asked. If you follow that programme wotild not the fleet be manoeuvring almost six m °The S Admiral replied: “Thej sa ’ l from San Francisco in April ana return home in September. Mr- French now asked Mr. Wilbur. “Does the question as it stands point to good-will among the nations and the friendly feeling of other nations towards the United States? Mr. Wilbur said: "First let me say I have not conferred with the State Department in the matter at all. Me have had inquiries from the . State Department whether we arc going to Australia, and we replied it depends upon the action of Congress in the matter of appropriations. . There has been great interest in this proposed trip among the Australian people We get that feeling through the newspapei requests, fol information, and through their commercial agent.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn-