U.S.A. NAVY CUT

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1931, Page 5

U.S.A. NAVY CUT

DRASTIC PROPOSALS [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] WASHINGTON, October 3. The naval chiefs conferred, and Secretary Adams received orders to put into immediate effect President Hoover’s ultimatum, “Cut to the bone !” The definite points of reduction must be decided within three weeks, and Secretary Adams asserted: “The situation is very serious.” He admitted that the cuts would affect every department of the naval service. The proposals now being seriously considered include the de-commission-ing of, and the placing on reserve of a fifth of the present active fleet, with a general curtailment of the ship operations, and a reduction of the naval personnel by a number of officers and men which is placed variously between five and ten thousand, with a proportionate reduction also in the Marines’ personnel. The proposals also include the closing of at least one naval training station, and several navy yards, and a wide curtailment of all the remaining shore establishments, both in personnel and activity. The members of the conference displayed considerable gloom, following on the meeting, and the opposition to all such naval retrenchment action continues to increase among the navy supporters.

SENATORS’ OPPOSITION

NEW YORK, October 3.

The “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent states: “Defying the Hoover naval reduction programme, Senator Hale announced tlo-day that he and Senator Britton would introduce identical bills carrying a 750 million dollar appropriation to Congress in December, authorising the building of the American navy to the terms of the London Treaty, including the replacement ’of' the obsolete ships. Senator Hale declares that the various arms conferences leave the United States progressively weaker. He warnes the nation against the perils of a lost war.