The Washington herald., 1911-02-26
WHAT UNCLE SAN PLANS TO DO IN NEXT GREAT WAR;
HOPE OF VICTORY RESTS WITH OUR MIGHTY NAVY

Impossible to this country are discussed
seriously. The plain military fact that
the safety of the United States from foes
beyond the oceans-yellow foes or white
ones-rests absolutely on its fleet of battle
ships is hardly known to anybody or is
muddled by talk about coast fortinca-
tions-many of which are said to be use
| less-and impracticable invasions.
The navy Secretary Meyer says,
exists for the purpose of the fighting
fleet" His policy is to keep the fleet
together. Auxiliary to the feet are
cruisers, torpedo boats, submarines, tugs,
and colliers. But the navy is the feet, and
| the feet, good or bad, must defend the
country against Japan, Germany, or any
other power that hurts American pride or
encroaches upon its rights as q nation.
And the fleet will fight as a whole, every
available ship being present. and one
great battle may decide the issue. II the
American feet is whipped. the American
people will have 10 make terms with
the enemy. France lost Alsace-Lorraine
10 Germany In 1Sn and paid an indemnity
OF one thousand millions of dollars.
Two years ago. when George Won Len
gerke Meyer, then Postmaster General.
came to the navy. he found II bound
up In red tape and locked up In eight
separate and semi-independent bureaus.
Each navy yard was a group Of detached
shcps- Instead Of a great government
mandatory. Mr.. Meyer is a banker.
a mill owner. and years ago was asso-
ctated with his father, who was an East
India merchant He Immediately began
TO reorganize the business methods and
management of the Navy Department
One of the bureaus was abolished Five
aids, all fighting men from the line, were
detailed to become the eyes and ears
of the Secretary. They observe the work
of the seven remaining bureaus and
give expert counsel on all matters of
Importance.
The navy yards are now modern ship
building and ship-repatring plants Money
is being saved on supplies. Vessels at
sea are competing with one another in
speed, coal consumption. and other econ
omies, as well as in target practice.
Even the bookkeeping has been changed
throughout the Departmental trial bal
ance can now be obtained, which, until
recently, was never attempted in the
navy. The first year he was in office
tanning the naval establishment $1,000,
900. This year he made a further cut
OF 100000 In the meantime he has
put his military policy into the brief |
but sufficient phrase that the navy |
exists for the purpose of the fighting !
fleet
Where there was stagnation there is !
now the energy of quick movement |
Specialists trained at Annapolis, live |
men, mostly strange men brought in |
from the quarter deck after long expert |
ence at sea, are enthusiastically working |
in the two newly created divisions of |
naval construction and management-hull |
and machinery. Cross purposes have
ceased to exist Standing on rights and |
jealousy guarding humorous little privi-
leges of rank have been subordinated to
common sense and efficiency. But there
has been no loss of dignity. Mr.. Meyer,
himself once Ambassador to Italy and
later Ambassador TO Russia. is as pune
tilious as any man in Washington After
he had been graduated from Harvard
he went into the Office of Alpheus H.
Hardy, of Boston, Mediterranean mer-
chant His pay was $3.50 a month. I
asked him why he hired out to a stran-
ger instead of with his father.
Because he replied, Il feared might
treat my father as relative and not as
In employer"
Navy's New Strength
Tn July of this year." he said, in an
5wer to an inquiry, the fighting fleet OF
he navy will consist of twenty-one bat
tie ships and four armored cruisers.
There will be four divisions of five ships
Zach. The extra ship will carry the flag
If the commander-in-chief. We plan to
nave four ships In each division ready at
all times for active service The fifth
ship in every division will be in some
navy yard for repairs So we shall have
seventeen fighting ships at the can of the
for any duty that may be re-
luired. Our purpose is to keep the feet
together and not to send vessels singly
IT in pairs over the earth on visits to
'oreign nations. The reason for main
aiming the fleet intact is apparent"
But all the vessels" 1 said, ARE in
he Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific is
unprotected, although war might come
rom that quarter"
That is true. There should be dupli-
ate fleet in the Pacific However, the
ieet We have could be sent there in from
ixty to ninety days When the Panama
canal is completed the sailing distance
between the coasts will be very much
educed. While our fleet is in the At
antic Ocean, it is nevertheless a COM
,lete defense for the Pacific. We have