“FOLLY AND FUTILITY”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12537, 26 April 1935, Page 4

“FOLLY AND FUTILITY”

CURTAILMENT OF U.S. NAVY. BIG BUILDING PROGRAMME. (IJ.P.A. bv Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received April 24, 7.20 p.m.) AVASHINGTON, April 23. The House Appropriations Committee offered recommendations today that 457,786,000 dollars be spent on the United States naval establishment in the- next fiscal year, with a rise to continuing naval expenditures of 555 million dollars annually after 1941, when the Treaty navy will he in operation. The heavy cost of building the navy up to Treaty strength was due to the “folly and futility” of the course pursued by the United States, following the Washington Treaty in 1922, after which, until 1930, the United States laid down only 21 vessels, while Britain laid down 86 and Japan 125. The committee, however, proposed cutting expenditure for new building by half of that proposed by the Administration in the belief that some international agreement as to tonnage limitation is still possible. Nevertheless, 208 million dollars will be available for ship construction in 1936. Brepresentative Cary, chairman of the sub-Committee on Naval Appropriations, defended the report- from the floor of the House. “In view of world conditions, with war clouds hanging over Europe and with every important- nation expanding its military and naval forces and building the greatestwar machines that have ever been built, it is necessary,” he said, “for us to take this vote and so pre- '■ pare ourselves that we may he able to defend this fair land of < urs in case an emergency . arises, ’