Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-04-11
Captain John Hood Makes
Plea for Program Outlined
by Experts But Never Car
ded Out,
NAVY NOT LARGE ENOUGH
TO PROTECT AMERICA
Human Nature Same Today as
When Cain Slew Abel and
Force Must be Fought with
Force,

Ullti
fny Morning Journal special Ieascd wlre1
Washington, April l0.--Not one Of
the 3i hnttleships and "a destrovcrs
that constituted the fighting force Of
the lll vessels which assembled for
review tn New York harhor last Oe-
tohor, was ready for war Captain
John Hood. then captain OF the dread
nourht Delaware, the pennant ship
of the fleet, told the Navy League to-
day. at It's session here. Captain Hood.
now member Of the navy general
board gave his views on desirable
naval policy
'Not counting the British fleet with
which no conflict need ever be fear-
cd he said. lin 1921. Germany can
put to sen Al hattleshlps OF which
25 will bc drcadnoughts and also j.
battle cruisers France will have aS
capital ships of which sa will be
drcndnoughts. Japan Will have 80, OF
which ~ Will be- drcadnoughts or
dreadnought cruisers Nothing short
ht ANlN ANIiNNA NftlN \ INHNh VI y"
hattlcshipa for the United states can
even approach adequacy and fleet
inadequate is a burden without pro-
lection. At our present rate of growth
we. In 1920, could put out against
those armamcnts thirty three ships,
an told. OF which only IS would be
dreadnoaghts.
"At no time has cur fleet been de-
Velopcd along lines of consistent
thought 10 meet a definite end which
should he the guarantee of the ma
tlons peace Today we have a fleet
too small and Heterogeneous to meet
the ends which Justify It's malnten-
anco ana too large TO be carried as
burden for a plaything.
Take as the basis Of your naval
policy. i building program that viii
give us IS lg25 a fleet Of 4N first
line huttleships with the lesser units
and auNiliarcs that go with them, cut
Off ruthitssly and sell and serape all
vessels on the navy list Of minimum
lighting value and all superiluous
yards and stations not needed for the
maintenance OF the fleet which use
iessly are absorbing large sums of
public money in their care and up
keep. provide aud train enough Of
nccrs and men on the active list ana III
the reserve 10 mllN man this fleet for
war Provide necessary bases and
arscnals. and educate the peo-
pie that no fleet Is adequate
for the preservation OF peace which
has not the readiness and strength TO
meet the enemy and say thou shalt
not Show them its triiing cost as
with even the smallest and
most sucecssiul our war with spain
1--WE have Inherited from our faith
ers no 'entanglng alliances, but We
have the Monroe doctrine As the na-
tons of Europe and Asia become
with their eVer-increas-
ing population this doctrine promises
TO be q fruitful source Of contention
and challenge, ana this doctrine Is no
stronger than the American fleet.
There is the principle OF Asiatic cx-
emsiOn the principle known as the
open door policy and there is our de
to assume military con-
rol OF tho Panama canal territory
and its contiguous waters. ] do not
believe the nation stands ready to
modify on abandon any Of these prin-
iplos ana only a lack Of knowledge
ly the people at large Is responsible
'ar keeping the country In state of
to maintain them with
'easonable surety Of continued peace
md honor
Though we have put on the gar
nents Of peace aud honor we have
leen softened by Christianity and have
trNcn nearer 10 aitrulsm in thought
md act the great fundamental un-
lerlyiug passions and springs of ac.
ion in man are the same today as
hoy were when cain slew Abel ffu
nam nature in the mass has changed
title or none since the days Of tho
'haru0hs The nations of today most
ikcly 10 challenge our rights and pol
cies ana with whom our interests
most conflict are the strong mon nf
he nations armed and ready The
ahts Of expedieney that we have fo-
owed must cease II we are to hold
mr. place among the nations
Captain Hood declared that such
uildins policy as he outlined had
cen formulated by the general hoard
d 1903. but mover had been acted
pom
pcirA Belmont urged the creation
I national council ~ defense as an
xpcrt body 10 advise congress on mil
AIRY que ions. and pointed out that
ne Of the plgnks Of HE democrntie
onecntion at Baltimore declared IN
iKor of it
gisht cities have sent invitations 70
ie league t. hold its convention next
ear within their borders. They are
(. Louis sun Francisco. Buffalo.
.ashvlle. Milwaukee. Boston, Den
ar and san Diego. Cal