AMERICA’S NAVY.

Evening Star, Issue 21038, 27 February 1932, Page 12

AMERICA’S NAVY.

Moderation is the keynote of the Hale Naval Bill, which has received the approval of the American Senate’s Naval Committee. It seeks no more than to bring the navy up to the London Treaty maximum by a programme of construction estimated to cost something less than one hundred million dollars in the next ten years. Even that sort of programme, one would think, might be left alone at this time, when the Disarmament Conference is sitting, which, if it achieves success, will make the London Treaty proportions seem insensate extravagance. But the preliminary to every naval limitation conference is for half the nations concerned to push their navies up, if only on paper, to a higher strength, in order that they may have so much more to bargain with in persuading others to reduce. Apart from treaties and from principles, naval reduction has been very much an issue on grounds of economy in American politics in the last few months. The Navy League, supported by the service, wants the biggest possible navy; the President has been more disposed to consider the taxpayers. First point was scored by the President when, at the end of September, he announced drastic cuts in the building programmes for both the 1931-32 and 1932-33 financial years. Construction to be dropped included six destroyers, aircraft, and submarines. The comment of Senator Borah, when

the Navy League raised a hubbub over his request, Avas that Mr Hoover Avas “ extremely modest in AA r hat he asked. He could have gone much further and been Avell Avithin reason and common sense.” Senator Borah had expressed himself in favour of a five years’ international naval holiday. The Navy League accused the President of slioaving “ abysmal ignorance of Avhy navies are maintained and of Loav they are used to accomplish their major mission,” to Avhich Mr Hoover retorted by setting up a commission to investigate “ half-truths and distortions of fact ” in the propaganda of the league. The conclusion of this body Avas that the naval enthusiasts had indulged in “ many inaccuracies, false assertions, and erroneous conclusions.” The next step Avas for Senator Vinson, Chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee, to bring fonvard a Bill which sought to authorise an expenditure of f3OO million dollars over a ten years period, on the navy. This measure, described as “ the most extensive navy programme submitted since the World War, and tho first attempt to build up our navy to the London Treaty limits, called for the construction of 120 vessels, all of which except two, hoAvever, Avould bo replacements.” Authorised in the Bill was 303,190 of uoav tonnage, including three aircraft carriers, nine Gin gun cruisers, thirteen destroyer leaders, seventy-two destroyers, and tAventythree submarines. Controversy waged hot over this measure, extolled and denounced in tho American Press with equal fervour, but its fats was presumably settled Avhen Mr Hoover refused his assent to it. The Hale Bill which is noAV before Congress makes a very moderate substitute. But naval Bills Avhich look ten years ahead Avhile tho Disarmament Conference, representing over sixty nations, is considering hoAv to reduce programmes form one of those commentaries on idealistic professions calculated to make angels weep.