Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-19
navy YARDS GALORE
Uncle Sam Has Many More
Than Needed, Meyer Says.
PLANS TO ABANDON SOME
Thinks Three on Each Coast of
Mainland Sufficient.
REAL BASES IN WARTIME
Secretary Says They Would Be
Guantanamo in Atlantic and
Pearl Harbor in Pacific.

The abandonment Of all the navy yards
on the Atlantic coast except three. and
the concentration of docking and repair
facilities at these points, will be urged
upon Congress by Secretary of the Navy
Meyer at the converting of the regular
session In December Mr.. Meyer appeared
as a witness this morning before the
House committee on expenditures In the
Navy Department and talked frankly OF
his plans to place the naval establishment
in readiness for any emergency
Secretary Meyer recommended to the
House committee on naval affairs last
session that the navy yard at Sacketts
Harbor. Port Royal. Pensacola, New Or
leans. San Juan and cavite be abandoned
Today he said that after giving further
consideration to the subject he thought
that three navy yards on the Atlantic
coast and three on the Pacific would give
the maximum efficiency in time of war
He declined to say which three of the
great navy yards on the Atlantic coast
Portsmouth, Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, Norfolk and Charleston-would be
abandoned, and told the committee he had
turned over to joint army any navy
board preliminary determination Of this
important question.
Concentration Necessary.
The committee appeared deeply inter-
ested in the Secretary's statements and
asked him many questions concerning
Navy Department policies. Explaining
the plan to reduce SO greatly the number
of navy yards, Mr.. Meyer suggested that
concentration had been found to be as
necessary in the establishment
elsewhere in these modern days, and
that, in addition to saving millions of
dollars to the government, would be of
incalcuabie benefit to the United States
yards, he said. were absolutely untitled
to dock or repair up-to-date war vessels,
and others could not even be approached
by a modern ship.
"And it is the present policy Of the
Navy Department., said Mr.. Meyer, mot
to maintain a naval base in the Philip
pines. but simply to retain Olongapo as
repair station. That could be abandon
ed in case of war. Battleships cannot
get up to the Cavite navy yard
Secretary Meyer referred to Pearl Har-
Dor, Hawaii, as "the Gibraltar Of the
Pacific and declared that would be the
base of operations of the United States
fleet in the event of war operations in
the Pacific. With respect to Guantana-
mo, the key of the> Caribbean" Mr..
Never said that it had wonderful har-
Dor, capable Of containing the entire
United States feet and all auxiliaries at
one time.
when the Panama canal is opened,
said Mr. Meyer, 1T will become more evil
dent that all these navy yards are not
needed on the Atlantic coast. because
the fleet will be part of the time in
the Pacific. The strategic position OF
Guantanamo is very important. and Con-
gress recognized this at the last session
by appropriating $4,000 for establish
ing temporary base there and installing
repair shops.
Bases in Time of War.
1.-THE great naval bases in time Of war;"
the Secretary added would be Pearl
Harbor. on the Pacific side, and Guam
tanamo. on the Atlantic side
You say you have abandoned the
Philippines as a naval base?" inquired
Representative Hardy of Texas, the COM
mittee chairman.
Yes" Mr.. Meyer responded.
Does that mean" Mr.. Hardy con-
tinued. that we would abandon the is
lands in time of war;
Secretary Meyer replied to this ques-
ton by pointing out that the army was
terrifying itself very strongly in the
Philippines and declaring that as long
as the United States feet in the Pacific
was concentrated as single unit and
operating from Pearl Harbor as base
that no foreign power would dare to land
a large force of men in the Philippines.
No such operations could be conducted,
according to strategists, he said until
the United States fleet had been de-
stroyed. And he thought the fleet would
be much stronger and much more dan
gerous, operating from the single Pearl
Harbor case, than divided and operating
from several bases at the same time.
The line of inquiry pursued by the
Hardy committee on expenditures in
the Navy Department today indicates
that before long there may be a clash
between this body and the House COM
mittee on naval affairs, Of which Rep
| resentative Padgett of Tennessee is
chairman. The expenditures committee
would like to have the credit of carry
ing out Mr.. Meyers plans for the aboli-
ton of the dozen or so navy yards on
his list But committees are admittedly
jealous of their prerogatives and there
probably will be a row before the ques-
ton is settled.