U.S.A. NAVY

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 October 1931, Page 5

U.S.A. NAVY

PRESIDENT’S POLICY OUTLINED. (BY CABLE —PRESS ASSW. —COPYBIGHT.] WASHINGTON, October 26. President Hoover, in an emphatic restatement of his Naval policy, in recognition of “Navy Day,” asserted that the United States must have a navy adequate only for protection against invasion, and adjusted to the minimum based upon the present day world outlook. He stated that to maintain greater forces was not only an economic injury to our -people, but a threat against their neighbours. Perhaps with the purpose of effecting amends to the Naval circles for the criticism which he directed against them for their opposing his economic programme, the President asserted that: “The United States Navy is manned by personnel of officers and men, never before excelled in our whole history.” But although he offered much oil for the troubled waters he suggested a retreat from his avowed policy of “rigid economy.” He said that it was the nation’s duty to strive for lowered world armaments arid that extremists on neither side o fthe argument should be permitted to interfere with the fulfilment thereof.