The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-22
Secretary Meyer Completes
Ampatation Work Request
ed by President.
TREASURY DEFICIT
MADE IT NECESSARY
Economy Practiced Where Least
Felt-Two Battleships Pro-
vided For.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

George Won L. Meyer. Secretary of the
Navy. has practically completed his
work of cutting down the estimates ne
viii send TO the next session OF Con-
gress for the appropriations necessary
for the maintenance and development of
The navy
In making this estimate 100000 less
than the sum appropriated By the last
session. Mr.. Meyer followed a strong
request from the President, who has
promised the leaders of the House and
Senate that the navy and army would
each reduce their estimates this year
70 $4,000. 900 less than the appropriations
made for each Of them in the last ses.
sion.
According to officers of the navy who
are familiar with the situation, the
building program OF the navy, as Mr..
Meyer viii send It TO Congress, viii
provide first for the building of two OF
the best frst-class battleships possible.
1t is now probable that. in place Of
submarines and destroyers. a recon-
mendstion viii be made for the con-
struction of machine repair ship which
VIII be able to steam up to the fastest
rate Of speed Of the fleets. and Will be.
in effect. a floating machine shop. ca
pable OF making any repairs to ships
with the exception OF those required in
drydocking a vessel
May Be Given Up.
II, on the other hand, il is thought
advisable for the good of the navy to
build submarines and destroyers. the
machine ship viii be given UP for the
present. and either the submarines or
the destroyeTs substituted for it. Ac-
cOrding to the present outlook, however,
the machine ship viii take precedence
over the submarines and the destroyers.
IL is evident from this statement that.
while the general policy of doing every
thing possible TO keep up the progress
desired in the construction OF a
greater navy. economy has been sub
served by cutting OF some of the minor
lighting machinery. The regular two
as Dreadnoughts, viii be provided
for, but the expected increase in sub
marines and destroyers has had to 90
by the board.
1t would be a mistake. however, to
assume that this Is in accord with the
wishes OF either the President or the
Secretary of the Navy. On the con-
trary, they would like TO estimate far
more than will be sent TO Congress, but
the deficit in the Treasury Is such as
TO make economy absolutely obligatory
The deficit has been a source of worry
and anxiety to this Administration ever
since II became known that the new
tariff would at first scarcely raise the
money necessary to run the Government
and get the deficit out OF the way.
Wishing 70 avoid all strtngsncy possible,
the President promised the Congress
siOnal leaders that the Army and Navy
would save S20s000,O00.
Estimates Trimmed.
Mr.. Meyer has whipped the estimates
of his department into such shape that
they will meet the Presidents pledge
IN accomplishing this. he has solved
one of the most difficult problems ever
put up 20 the head OF ths department.
It VIII be remembered that his first
step 10 achieve the economy found
necessary was 20 order the bureau chiefs
70 nave their estimates prepared for
submission to him by May ! and to have
them as small as possible. When these
estimates were placed before him. he
found that they were lar In excess Of
the sums appropriated by the last ses-
sion sf Congress. Therefore, he not only
had 10 clip of the excess above the
sum carried BY the last appropria ton
bill, which was a total of S156,sS5.1s9, but
he had TO go S100O0,000 lower than that
To do this. he has been contantly at
work with the bureau chiefs ever since
May ]. He has consulted with them in
dividually ana in joint meetings. To-
day, IL is said, he Is within few hum
dred thousand dollars Of the $4,000 600
reduction, and he hopes 70 accomplish
II 70 the last cent within the next day
or two When he does, his estimates.
which he will send TO the Secretary of
the Treasury for transmission to Con-
gress. will come within SD, ,935, ,I99
AS a matter Of fact this preparation
OF the departments estimates IS a revo-
luton in departmental affairs It has
never been done before, and Mr. Meyer
in completing the work, has done much
OF the labor which is generally left to
CONTINUED on Fourth PsgeA