The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-12-01
DANIELS BELLE
IN KEEPING Up
THE NAVY
Report of Secretary Has Pro.
gressive Features
SCORES ARM0R PLATE MEN
Says American Manufacturers Have
Sold Abroad Cheaper Than
at Home

Washington. Nov. 3O.--ln addition
to recommending naval building
program that shows he is no ono
battleship man" Josephus Daniels,
Secretary of the Navy embodes in
his first annual report the important
proposal that The United States Gov
eminent acquire and operate oil
wells and refine its own crude oil in
order that the feet ol the future
shall be plentifully supplied with oil
fuel
TWO dreadnouehts, eight destroy
ers and three submarines constitute
Secretary Daniels building program
for next year
THUS is not n large program but
st is o progressive one" Mr.. Daniels
asserts. 1T meets the demand to 90
forward in the continuation Of an
adequate and well proporticned
navy.
Other Interesting suggestions in
Mr. Daniels report are that the Gov
eminent shall make It's own ship ar
NOR, that q conference OF nations
shall be held to agree on perman,
ont policy Tor the limitation OF naval
ornaments. tha; a welfare score
;ary" to lead in religious work he
placed on every warship that has no
chaplain, and that in establishing
schools for enlisted men "it is my
ambition to make the navy great
university with college extensions
alIoat and ashore"
Serious reflections on tire good
faith and patriotism Of the three
great armormaking companies are
contained In the report Written IN
q breezy. unconventional way, this
first report OF the new Naval Secre-
tary lacks anything that suggests per
functory preparation and is no less
interesting on account OF It's diction
than the farrcaching importance OF
several OF It's recommendations.
Mr. Daniels says in one place shat
his policy is more money anoat and
less ashore" and he eNcmplifes this
in his views as to naval construction
The Secretary says the time has
come when the Navy Department
Should be- freed from excessive pric-
US charged by private manufacturers
for armor. guns and ammunition. As
Tor the armor situation, Il is "intoler-
able he holds The Bethlehem
Steel Comapny in particular is &C
cused OF having utilized armcr i'm.
provements and designs worked out
by United States naval officers in the
armor IL furnished TO a foreign gov
ornment, and all three companies
are charged with selling armor to
foregn navies NJ lower price than
20 their own country The other
concerns attacked by MI, Daniels
are the Carnegie Steel Company and
the Midvale Steel Company.
Secretary Daniels goes step fur
Their than Winston Churchill in the
latter's advocacy of naval holt
dan"
1T is not vacation We need.
says Mr. Daniels. but q permanent
policy to guard against extravagant
and needless expansions. venture
TO recommend that the war and navy
officials and other representatives of
an the nations be invited to hold a
conference TO discuss whether rhey
cannot agree upon a plan for lessen
iDg the most OF preparation for war;
I'm recommending legislation that
will enable the department to refine
its own oil from its own oil wells. q"
MIR. Daniels points out that Winston
Churchill. First Lord OF tho Admiral
ty. is advocating a similar policy for
Great britain