Show CONGRESS IS PUZZLED PUZZLED OVER PRES PRESiDENTS PRESiDENT'S ID E N S 'S NAVAL POLICY POUGY United States Lags Jags Be- Be Behind Be Behind hind bind England and Japan ARMY MEN IEN UPSET Many Lawmakers Think Both Arms Are Arc Going Down mil Hill milBy T T By fly ROBERT RODERT T S L Ir sp Special Correspondent of TIt The I Standard iner Copyright 1926 Consolidated Press Association WASHINGTON Dec The 25 congress still sUll Is thoroughly puzzled as to just ju t where President Coolidge stands on the American navy When hen the session Is resumed after aCter the Christmas holidays there thero may maybe maybe mayb be a showdown But It looks for tor forthe forth the moment Il as If Mr Coolidge wants a rather large luge larr navy au au on paper without spend spend- spendIng spend spend-In Ing an undue amount ot of money on construction The president feels feel that an au an au navy will ill give five the tho United States Just as strong trone a position In ina Ina It a ne nw new disarmament conference as asIf asIt asIt It If the th cruisers cruiser submarines etc actually were constructed con or well under way Mr lr Coolidge wants the world at large to know that the United States can ean build just justas justas justas as big biff bl a navy as ns anybody else els In Inthe inthe Inthe the world probably bigger bigg r but he does not want any construction work begun until he be has sounded out the tho other powers on further restrictions NOT WHOLLY PLEASING This situation Is not pleasing to the members of o the committees on naval affairs In the house and senate The house as asi asa asa aa i a a matter of fact tact was inclined to think It had won a great victory over the pr president when with his indorsement a II bill was Introduced I providing tor for the th construction of often often ten new ton cruisers In ad addition to the three alrea already author author- authorIzed authorized authorized I Word Wont was carrl carried d to Capi Capt Capitol tol tot Hili that he president goIng to stand steal tani b by b- his hi message tailed failed to ask ask ask-an nn alone money for naval construction t was sOlid said he was keenly alive the th moment to the tho necessity of keeping the th Ameri- Ameri American Am can rl-can can navy at a proper parity with the tho navies of Great Britain and Japan But scarcely hal hail the ten cruiser bill been reported favorably from the house hous naval committee than the president let t It be known that while he h wanted anted authority to be- be begin begin Cin bc-Cin gin construction on these new now ships he ho did not actually favor tavor spendIng any money at all 1111 on them at this limo time IHS DISAPPOINTMENT This announcement comIng through the White While House spokes in spokes mOon man n was vas a bitter disappointment to the tho efficient navy men In con con- congress con gress They had become convinced from a study of o the figures ob- ob obtained ob obtained tamed abroad that the th United States should start building at once and build as aa fast as It could They further were convinced that the tho navies of Great Britain and Japan were vue consciously or unconsciously violating the th spirit If ft not the let let- letter let letter ter of o the th Washington agreement When the bl big ble naval treaty was negotiated by Secretary Hughes and on rage Page Five OP CONGRESS O M HAS HS r ORE PUZZLES C Continued 1 r ruse Foge go One signed by President Harding It merely limited th the number of oC capital ships to be built by th the nations nation Capital ships are battleships and battle bottle quiser The United States StattS W was s well wen sup sup- sup supplied plied piled with battleships It had no lolled battle As A a t result ot of Ute the treaty trealy several e battleships were scrapped and ond t two o 3 proposed J battle battie cruisers were turned Into airplane carriers Nearly Nearly- ear five years ears have elapsed since the t he treaty was ws s signed but these transformed cruisers cruiser have hae not yet et been put Into active service ns as a airplane carriers carrier V t 1 S S STir STANDS Sl STILL It was vas agreed In the Washing Washing- Washington Washington ton conference that all nations could continue to build naval yes yes- ves vessels Sei sels up to and Including tons tone displacement at will The Th oUter other nations have l proceeded to build uchi vessels while the tile United States Slats virtually has stood still The Tho result Is that we have fallen be- be behind behind be behind hind both and in hI the tho class of o vessels In which competition has not been restrict restrict- restricted ed eti Thanks to the world worM war the United States ravy raY was plentifully provided with destroyers at the time lime the Washington treaty was negotiated but It has now been discovered that destroyers uc need the tl big ton toss cruisers as lIS mother ships and th the tho United States has only a few tew of ot them th m for tor her brood ot of destroyers destroyer These destroyers by the wn way are more of a paper asset n anythIng else tor for there have not been enough enouch men In the navy to keep them In commission and they are rusting nt at several of the tho naval stations Tho The conference also failed to place ploce any restrictions UP- UP UPon upon up upon on the of destroyers sub sub- submarines sub submarines marines marinOs and airplanes admittedly airplanes the most modern or of o the weapons to be b employed by tho the navies ot of oth the world orld BLOCKED B El- El Fit FIt SC NCE Both Iloth Secretary Hughes and President larding I-larding were aware lI of these shortcomings shortcominG's In the Iho Wash Wash- Washington asb ington treaty They would have liked to have gone much farther than thau they did but hut France Franc blocked progress In one direction and Great Britain In another The United States virtually was willing wilting to com corn completely disarm President Cool Cool Cool- still till Is of that frame of mind lIe frankly stated In his last message to congress that he would like to see sec the tho United States spend all of Its mone money on making Wash Vash Washington ington a beau beautiful II ful capital city rather than In a race for nasal Washington Is not of ot the tho same frame framo of mind Doth Both house and senate committees lS l'S are arc questioning the tho presidents president's policy of ot ruthless economy with Ith the tha army and the navy There Is II no partisanship In Involved In- In In the approaching battle hut lUt th the orderly process o passing pa the the big bis supply bills for tor the vari vaI van van- various OilS ous government go departments Is going to be Interrupted with a abang abang bang when hen It come comes to the Ur q ques question S- S tion of ot the national defense Friends of ot the army are ore almost as upset as those of the navy nay They feel both establishments are arc going d down dot wn hill bill ln and l that Americas America me rica Pr pres prestige i rs tige among emong the nations cf ot tc tse teJ J world world Is threatened |