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Show Naval Construction Necessary The definition of the American naval policy will soon require positive posi-tive action by Congress unless our navy is to be allowed to drift into in-to Impotence through failure to appropriate funds for ship construction. con-struction. ) The size of the American navy is a matter of diplomatic agree, ment in view of the movement towards to-wards international disarmament but if the United States expects to maintain the naval balance agreed upon by the nations of the world, It must construct new warships. If there is a general widespread reduction re-duction of naval strength, few A-mericans A-mericans would object to the decline de-cline of our navy, but most ol them will be against the disproportionate dispropor-tionate diminution of our fighting ships. In this connection, Representative. Representa-tive. Vinson, of Georgia, plans to submit a building program to bring the navy up to the London Naval Treaty strength. When this treaty expires in 1936, says Mr. Vinson, the United States will stand "fifth and a very poor fifth at that, in the total combatant strength." Not including battleships, battle-ships, he shows that in light cruisers, destroyers and submarines the outstanding of the leading powers in respect to under-age craft in 1936 wiil be: Prance, 159; Japan, 151; Great Britain, 140; Italy, 121; and the United States, 0. |