Proposal Made for $2,000,000,000 Building Programme to Nearly Equal Pacific Fleet Washington, Jan. 7. veteran naval committeeman told the United Press yesterday that he would strongly agitate for the construction of a new $2,000,000,000 Atlantic fleet in view of the fact that the critical world situation makes it necessary to protect the Latin American Republics against possible aggression.
The committeman's, statement is representative of a large mass of opinion in Congress. "I am convinced that we must have a full fleet in the Atlantic as well as in the Pacific," he said, "if we are to keep out war and adequately protest the New World.
"The Pacific Fleet is approaching 2,000000 tons. I feel that the Atlantic force should be around two-thirds that size to offer adequate protection...
"This naval force would be by far the greatest the world has ever known and would cost an additional $400,000,- 000 annually to operate, but it would be well worth it."
He pointed out that in the past the United Staes had "an unwritten, airtight agreement with Britain that their fleet was to protect our interests in the Atlantic," but he said the British are at present occupied.
"In addition," he declared, "we do not know what the situation will be
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