AMERICAN NAVY BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19958, 29 May 1928, Page 9

AMERICAN NAVY BILL.

DISCUSSION OF REJECTION. PUBLIC PANIC NOT LIKELY. NEW YORK PAPER'S VIEW. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received May 28, 5.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 27. The New Ycrk World publishes a leading article on the rejection by the Senate of the Naval Construction Bill. It says the Secretary of the Navy, Mr. C. D. Wilbur, stated that his department sought legislation to provide a sum of £148,000,000 for construction, for replacement, and to catch up Britain's programme. The expenditure was to have been made within a certain period. An attempt was made to tie the hands of Congress and of the President, Air. Coolidge, so that they could not stop the construction of ships, even if international action on naval questions made it plainly needless. The people were not enthusiastic about the programme, says the paper, and a less ambitious bill was substituted providing for 15 cruisers, one aeroplano-carner and no submarines. The cost of this modified scheme was £54,800,000. The time limit was forgotten and with it the attempt to prevent a modification in case of international agreements. Even in this greatly-modified form the bill has been held over for this session, the Senate by a two to one vote having refused to take it up for consideration. As a consequence of this action there will be no public panic about preparedness. Congress will meet again after the election with a nevr mandate for ail the members of the House of Representatives and for some Senators. It will be time then to consider what the Navy really needs and to provide for those needs in a manner the electorate will approve. In the meantime the Navy will do very well as it is.