Washington, Feb. 7.
The United States Navy intends to "stand on its own feet" in any future war and expects to succeed in defending the country against possible attack, Admiral W. D. Leahy, Chief of Naval Operations, told the House of Representatives Naval Affairs Committee here to-day.
He flatly denied that the Navy had arly commitments or understandings with foreign nations including Great Britain, "The United States Navy has no thought of obtaining assistance from any other nation" Admiral Leahy said. "It also has no thought of giving assistance, in the solution of problems of any other nation... The Navy expects to solve our national defence problems in its traditional manner—without any outside alliance."
Admiral Leahy last week had refused to inform the Committee in public hearings whether any understandings with foreign Powers, particularly Britain, had been reached by the Navy. Newspaper reports had claimed such an understanding after the recent London conference between American naval officers and the Admiralty. Admiral Leahy last week said the answer to the Commuttee's question was a "vital secret" of great importance to national security.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.