The Washington times., 1912-10-16
B|GF|GHT FOR NEW
'BAfTLESH|PS WILL
ENGROSS CONGRESS
New York Review Expected
to Give Impetus to Demand
for Larger Navy.

Another big night In Congress over
the question Of appropriatins for bat
tleships is looming up. Such tdght
occurs every session. but last session
II became Of unusual intensity. This
winter. also. II is expected to be intense
and bitter.
The remarkable assembling Of tho
vessels Of the feet at New York, the
review and maneuvers, will have a
bearing on this controversy. Friends of
two or more battleships annually will
make use Of the magnificent showing
made by the feet at New York to help
their cause. Moreover. there Is always
a certain amount OF enthusiasm for the
navy stirred among those who behold
a great naval spectacle like the one In
New York Harbor. This will tend to
bring public sentiment to the aid Of the
movement for greater navy.
Want Three Battlsships.
Secretary Of the Navy Meyer 10 ex-
pected to urge Congress to authorize
three battleships. to make UP for the
failure to authorize more than one last
session. Thus far. little likelihood OF
such action appears. However, II is
quite possible that q compromise will
h4ally be made on two battleships.
Before the Presidential campaign the
Democratic leaders in the House were
especially anxious to make a showing
Of economy. After the election II is not
anticipated their anxiety on that score
pated q the e House Sc lssssas will * Give nsi aSy
along several lines, such as public
buildings. rivers and harbors, and more
The rapidly with which the fleets of
Great Britain. Germany and Japan are
building UP IL q big factor In the stu
alton; The cry that the United States
II falling too far. behind In the race for
less potent. It is not an easy one to
resist in Congress. This will be es-
pecially true this winter II It develops
that the war now looming up In the
Balkans involves some of the leading
ria.
Congress at Odds.
Under the surface last session there
was . wide difference Of opinion in
Congress about tho present naval pol
icy. This was not given much ex-
ploitation. but II was nevertheless an
important element in tho situation. It
was one OF the reasons for the difficulty
in getting an appropriation for even
one giant battieship Of the dreadnought
type. The feeling Of many members Of
Congress that the navy is becoming top
heavy with dreadnoughts. and that
there are too few auxiliaries entered
into the opposition to spending more for
battleships.
Some OF the members fell that the
policy OF naval construction IL not satis-
factory. that our constructors are
chiefly engaged in patterning after for
eign constructors instead of setting out
on original and independent lines, and
that there Is too much reverence In the
navy for heavy Rrmof and too little an
appreciation OF speed. Dissensions Of
opinion are also rife over types Of ord
nance and other ordnance questions.
All such differences tend to make II
more difficult to get big appropriations
for naval construction. At the same
time. the situation this winter will be
much more favorable than in the last
session to get authorizations for dread
noughts. and the friends Of the bigger
navy feel confident OF getting at least
two.