AMERICAN PROGRAMME

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 147, 19 December 1927, Page 9

AMERICAN PROGRAMME

MAY NOT BE ADOPTED

OPPOSITION GROWING

(United Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 19th December, 11.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, 17th Dec: ' The "New York Times" Washington correspondent says that in the opinion of prominent Republican leaders the Administration's naval programme will not be adopted by the House of Representatives. It is said that there is opposition to the indefiniteness of the loan and to the suggestion that the President should be empowered to suspend building in the event of a naval limitation conference. It is affirmed that the sentiment in the House favours the construction of twenty cruisers, four in each year in a five-year programme, also an airplane carrier. The recommendations of the Navy Department are agreeable to the prevailing opinion, but opposition has developed to the building of nine destroyer leaders. Leaders in the House aro more interested m rounding out the fleet with auxihary cruisers and are not concerned with the naval strength of other countries. They do not believe that the programme which will finally bo adopted by the House will cause foreign critics to say that the programme was made public with the idea of forcing another naval limitation conference. It is understood that Butler will move to have the Naval Bill amended, requiring a number of ships to be authorised and dropping the provision empowenng the President to suspend construction in 1 the event of a naval limitation conference.