Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
AND NAVY
ReuterdahI Article Quotes the
Views of Roosevelt.
PREPAREDNESS HIS AIM
Determined Upon Building Up the
Quality of the Service.
LAWMAKERS MUST ASSIST HIM
Auxiliary Ships Notwithstanding
Must Be Thorough-Nation
Should Be Armed.
LAWMAKERS MUST ASSIST HIM

NEW YORK November 2J.-An article
by Henry Reuterdahl naval critic. pur-
porting to represent the views of Presi-
dent Roosevelt on one of his favorite
topics, the navy, is published in Pear
sons Magazine for December. Mr..
Reuterdahrs paper is entitled president
Roosevelt and the Navy's Renaissance"
which he introduces by saying that Mr..
Roosevelt lis the first President who has
taken the navy seriously
The article is the result of an interview
which Mr. Reuterdahl had with the
President. but the writer refrains from
quoting him directly, save in a few
instances.
One of these is in regard to the reor-
ganizatfon of the entire department. Mr.
Reuterdahl is the marine artist who made
the voyage around South America with
the fleet. and who has been outspoken
in criticism of the navy.
Would Reform Administration.
The President. Mr.. Reuterdahl says.
strongly believes that the navy can only
be made better by changing the admins
tration of the department, and that his
wish is to do as much for the navy In
this respect as he has done for the
army.
Mr.. Reuterdahl quotes Mr.. Roosevelt as
saying:
Il have from time to time recommended
the reorganization of the navy depart
ment. 1t is absolutely necessary. and
We will work and work until We get it,
and We shall get it,
There are few people. declares Mr..
Reuterdahl, who know the extent of the
Presidents knowledge of naval affairs.
Not only has he grasped the underlying
principles, but, according to Mr.. Reuter-
dahl, he has found time to keep himself
informed as to details, particularly gun
merry.
He believes that all officers should
work exclusively for the good of the
service, and he said concerning the
critic, Sims. who persistently deplored
past lnefficiency in shooting:
You may say that the President has
often said that he considers that Com
mander Sims has done more for target
practice than any other man in the
United States. and that it is chiefly due
to him that we shoot as well we do.
1t is humiliating to think what poor
shots We were during the Spanish war"
No Reward for Merit.
Il asked the President" Mr.. Reuter-
dahl writes: What reward is there for
a man of Sims wonderful ability? He
has the respect of the service, and that
is ALL
"'Yes, what reward is there for man
like that in our country? We do not
recognize the value of preparedness.
Sims had an uphill fight. and would never
have won out 1t was partly because his
appeal was brought to my attention that
his target practice scheme and his other
reforms went through
Mr.. Reuterdahl goes on to say that Mr.
Roosevelt believes that the tide of poll
tics must be stemmed and not allowed to
interfere with the efficiency of, the serv-
ice.
The President, he says, wants fleet of
ships in each ocean, and believes that
with this accomplished and the Panama
canal completed. the United States can
look forward to years of peace and pros
perity
He believes implicitly" the writer goes
on. that we must learn what prepared
ness means-we need submarines, destroy
ers and Golfers. and. so far as aux
ilaries are concerned the President
thinks the fleet is still deficient.
New Ships; Continuous Training.
He says again that we must replace
the old ships with new ones when they
are worn out and that we must keep
the ships in continuous training and
above all. our men must be kept interest
ed and happy. because if they are not
they do not work well.
We must be continually prepared; and
to emphasize his belief he points to the
fact that there are only few military
rifles in the whole country. and that if
any army of 100000 men could land we
could fight them with nothing but pitch
forks and shotguns. The President re-
sents strongly the resistance on the part
of the legislators who are disposed to
exploit the navy for their own and their
constituents selfish ends. He realizes
that the responsibility lies with the peo-
pie. and particularly with the press,
which should demand the same efficiency
in the Navy Department that it does in
all other branches of the government"
ITO my question: continues Mr.. Reut-
erdahl. What shall we do to get young
er men for command grades?' he replied
Anything. whatever you like-elimina-
ton. selection. anything. We must have
young men.
We cannot have nervous man on
the bridge of battleship. Such men
should not be trusted with human lives
and millions of dollars worth of fighting
material.
illustrates His Views.
l mean when l speak of the work that the
young men do. and this is an instance to
which l wish you to refer. On certain
trip on the Mayflower two torpedo boat
destroyers accompa MED us. We were just
then discussing the ACCESSIBILITY of send
ing the fleet to the Pacific.
~ had been told by the Navy Depart
mont that if would be imcOSSible to send