The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-01

war and navy officials and other repre-
sentatives of all the nations be invited
| to hold a conference to discuss whether
they cannot agree upon a plan for les
SEEMING the cost of preparation for war
1t is recognized that the desired end OF
competitive building, carried on under
whip and spur, could not be effective
without agreement between great ma
tions. tt ought not to be difficult TO
secure an agreement by which navies
will be adequate without being over
grown and without imposing overheavy
taxation upon the industry of a nation.
| | trust the tentative suggestion for a
naval holiday by the strongest OF the
powers will be debated and the matter
seriously considered by an international
conference looking to reduction of the
ambitious and costly plans for navy in
| crease. | recommend that this coun-
| try take the initiative and that the
| president ask Congress to authorize him
to extend an invitation to all the pow
ers to attend a conference to discuss re-
duction of the heavy cost of the army
and navy"
Immediate requirement and operation
of oil wells and refneries to furnish
| fuel for the navy, government and man
ufaeture of armor, more naval chaplains,
better educational facilities for enlisted
men and graduated retirement law are
the other chief recommendations.
The secretary thinks that the time
has come when the navy should be freed
from excessive prices charged by private
manufacturers of armor plate, guns and
gun forgings, powder, torpedoes and 9th
er supplies and munitions, so he recon-
mends appropriations for an armor plate
factory and an increase in the gun fac
tory, the powder factory and the tor
pedo works. He refers to his efforts
to secure reasonable prices from the ar
NOR companies, and asserts that with
out its own plant the government would
be at the mercy of three manufacturers
in time of war. History does not war
rant an assumption, he adds, that the
patriotism of these companies will prove
superior to their desire for profits. The
report comments upon contracts made
by the companies to supply foreign ma
yies with armor at prices much below
those charged their own government, and
directs particular attention to the fact
that they at present supply armor for
the Japanese cruiser Haruna at S406.35
ton while charging 1904 to $40 a ton
for armor for the American battleship
No. 3d.
The recommendation regarding oil
wells and refneries follows the trans
formation of modern navies from coal
to oil burners. The reports says the
price of oil is steadily creeping upward,
is now twice as much as in 1911, and
will be a staggering item in the ex-
pense account of the navy in the future
unless the navy controls its own wells.
Therefore, Mr. Daniels urges, by the
time the Panama canal is opened the
navy should be producing its own oil
from its petroleum reserves in the Elk
hills and Buena Vista fields of Califor.
mia; its refneries should be in opera
ton; oil lands should Re leased in the
mid-continent fields and oil tanks erect
ed at various ports.
The report speaks of the wrecAlng Of
the Pearl Harbor dry dock as "the naval
tragedy of the year" which in an hours
time caused loss of Sl,700000 swept
away naval project and introduced
problem of immeasurable difficulty
which viii be referred to Congress.
The report declares that too much
money has been spent ashore for build
ing, and too little for docks and war
ships, though no definite recommends
lions are made for the location of new
docks pending the building of IAN ade-
quate and well proportioned navy"