Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-03
Secretary Makes Recon-.
mendatiOn ID Annual Re-
port 10 Wilson
Would Have international
Pact 10 Reduce Navy
Building
More Religious Teachers and
Educational Facilities Ask
ed for Sailors

washington, Dec. Z.-lMiltuldIe a.
ouirement and operation Of oil wells
and refneries to furnish fuel for the
navy, an international conference to
secure a reduction Of naval construc'
ton, the addition of two dreadnaughts
eight sdestrOyers and three sNbma,
rines for the navy during the coming
year, government Manufacture OF ar
mo-, more naval chaplains and relig'
ious leaders, better educational facil'
tiles for enlisted men and a gradual
ed retirement law are chief recon-.
mendations in the first annual re-
mort Of Secretary Daniels, made pub.
lie today.
The secretary departs from the us.
,al custom in addressing the presi'
dent in the first person singular,
thereby adding to the directness and
force Of the reports statements. The
report reflects his enthusiasm over
the navy, declaring that the story
of the years work by this patriotic
body Of efficient defenders of the Re
public is replete with examples OF
courage, devotion, sacrifice and prog
rcss.''' !et
The secretary says the navy was
never in such a high state of etlicien'
cy as today, and that in considering
It's future needs he has given less
thought to the guns than to the men
behind the guns. Relieving that the
efficiency of the navy as a fighting
force will be in the highest sense
promoted by the adoption Of a serious
and systematic curse of instruction
aboard ship and at shore stations, he
points out that the department is
trying to make the navy a great uni
versity. Not only ordinary seamen,
but cen petty officers haze too little
accurate knowledge, and this will be
corrected by a systematic course OF
instruction. Midshipmen of the grad
uating classes will be utilized as in
structors with, mutual benefit to the
men and themselves" and to fit them
for this work a short Normal course
will be added to the Naval Academy
curriculum. AS the War College is
the apex of the navy system Of edu.
cation, the department will try to
have all officers pass through this
training, using mail courses where
adisable.
The recent proposition of Winston
Churchill, First Lord of the British
Admiralty. for a naval education"
meets with the secretary's hearty
commentator, in view of the ire
mendous increase in American naval
expenditures. Pointing out that 10
years ago the largest battleship cost
$5,2S2, 900, while the next dread
naught will cost $14, 044, 900, Mr.. Dar.
iels asks when is this accelerating
expenditure to be reduced. He adds
that 1t is mot a vacation that we
need, but a permanent policy to guard
against e%xtravagant expansionists."
Time, he suggests, should be given
to shipbuilders to guard against loss
from a reduction of the building pro.
grams. The report recommends that
the United States take the initiative
and invite all the powers to a confer
ence to discuss reduction Of the heavy
cost of armies and the nayies.
Secretary Daniels says his building
program is not large, but is progress,
sive. and has been recommended as
q middle course Of wisdom" the rev
ennes OF the country not permitting
us large an expansion in naval build
ing as the department might desire
10 enter upon at this time. That is
the explanation for the proposed re-
auction Of the building program rec
OInmended by the general board,
which contemplated construction Of