Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-05
POLITICS AND THE PEARL HlRsoa DarDgek:

Tie San Francisco press, br at least the Elk.
ainners seems to he giving it's readers Il repeti.
ton Qf the story printed on the Coass some
months ago that the Pearl Harlor drydock will
be abandoned and one built ut San francisco.
According to overnight wireless reports the
Exa11iner yesterday published the followings.
Fearing thai attempts to complete the construc-
t|o4eof the great naval drydock at Pearl Harbor.
Oahu wiz prove huge fiascos Involving the waste
Of millions Secretary of the Navy Daniels Is prepar
ing % leave further steps the matter to congress
Through the Hawaiian dilemma san Eranciscos Z
prospects for great naval drydock have been great
y frightened. All navy officials regard drydock
for the Pacific imperative following
the opening Of the Panama Canal, and San Francis
cos opportunity appears at hand
Investigations by number of engineers have left
Secretary Daniels in doubt as the praccabity Of
completing the Pearl Harbor drydock and he viii
avoid the responsibility for action by reporting the
situation to Congress- ieaving the Legislative branch
70 decide whether to abandon the drydock plan or
proceed with the work.
The Star. Bulletins Washington correspond
ence ON the subject, published Yesterday, shows
what the situation really is. The experts who
have examined the drydock structure since its
collapse have reported to the navy department
that number of material changes are necessary
JIG the dock is to be successfully rebuilt. This
will necessitate considerable additional expense.
Secretary Daniels as was told in the article pub
lshed Yesterday will refer to Congress the mat.
ter OF authorizing additional funds for the work.
The Examiner is wrong in intimating that the
Investigation of the experts has resulted in re.
ports which Raye in doubt the practicability of
building the dock The fact is that the experts
have reported that the drydock can and should
be built at Pearl Harbor. They have, after care
full investigation, become fully convinced of the
engineering feasibility of the project, and there
never has been question as to its strategic ne
cessity The reports that have reached Secre.
tary Daniels have been emphaticaIly in favor of
rebuilding the drydock.
1t seems altogether likely that the story for
which the Examiner is given credit is due to lack
Of information as to just what Secretary Dan
iels is referring to Congress Certainly he is not
referring to Congress the question of whether or
not the drydock should be reconstructed, for that
question has been settled by the reports of the
experts, inchding, the foremost authority avail,
able, Alfred Noble. The secretary of the navy is
asking Congress to appropriate the additional
sums needed to carry out a project to which the
navy department is definitely committed.
Though the rebuilding of the Pearl Harbor
drydeck is practicable and the money for it
shonld he forthcoming, there is always the posi-
bility that the shrewd congressman who are look
inc out for the "home folks will attempt to
switch the program. The California senator's
and representatives would have a feather in
their cap it they could secure. the construction
- : y a aE#.