Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-15
HArAL AppRnpRIA rtnNs.

The general feeling in congress is
said 10 be unfavorablc to large naval
appropriations at this session. 1t is
stated that i'm an interview with the
president the chairman of the house
committee on naval affairs, Representa-
tive Foss. told him that a strong dispo-
sition existed In the house to curtail APP
preparations for the navy for the ensu-
ing year and that it probably would re-
quire considerable effort to secure the
enactment of legislation authorizing the
construction of additional war vessels.
1t is understood that the sentiment in
the senate is also quite generally for
curtailing naval appropriations. The
chairman of the senate naval commit
tee. Senator Hale, Is well known to be
of this mind. believing that our sea
power Is already sufficiently strong. or
will be when the warships being con-
structed are completed and in commits
sion, for the protection of our interests
and the safeguarding of our rights.
In his annual message the president
said that the standard of efficiency that
has been reached by our navy must not
only be maintained. but increased. 1T
does not seem to me necessary, how
ever. that the navy shouldn't least in
the immediate future-be increased be-
yond the present number of units. What
is now clearly necessary is to substitute
efficient for inefficient units as the lat
ter become worn out or as 1t becomes
apparent that they are useless. Proba-
bly, the result would be attained by adj
ding a single battleship to our navy
each year, the superseded or out-worn
vessels being laid UP or broken up as
they are thus replaced" There will
perhaps be nowhere any objection to
this conservative suggestion. No one
can desire that the fine navy which has
been created shall be allowed to deteri-
crate in strength or efficiency, and If the
standard reached can be maintained by
the addition of single battleship each
year the country can afford the eXpendi-
ture. II would manifestly be unwise,
while other nations are increasing their
naval power, to permit ours to decline.
SO far as Great Britain Is concerned we
need not concern ourselves about her
steadily growing navy, but it Is well to
hear in mind what Germany and Japan
are doing in the matter of increasing
their naval strength. 1t is not necessary
that we enter into any rivalry with
these powers, but it is expedient that we
do not permit ourselves to fall far be-
hind them in sea power.
A difficulty now confronting the
navy is that Of obtaining a sufficient
number of officers and men for the ships
already in commission. At present the
United States has under construction
and nearly ready for commission six
battleshps. 1t is question whether
officers and men for them. 1t was
pointed out just after our war with
Spain that we had put afloat all our
available officers and men in our first
lighting mt uiiu tiidl IL a SliiSie uiSuStti
had compelled us to man another feet
we could not possibly have done 1t, even
If the ships had been Forthcoming. OF
course conditions have since somewhat
improved, but there is still a lack of
trained officers and men. To 20 on in
creasing the number of warships with
out being able to supply men for them
would be inexcusable folly.