New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-11

/ at has a policy, | think. Inc naVa
policy really is made by Congress.
Navy Departments Policy.
: "But is there a policy ir the navy
outside of the General Board :!
81 think here is. The department
/ .dvocates two battleships and the Gen
eral Board four. ! think the criticism
~ the executive department and OF
| Congress in the General Boards report
;s unwise. and | do not indors, a woro
~ il merely included IT in my re-
mort for information; that IS all.
"Rut there is no definite policy ~
the Navy Department" said Nf. Roo'
S0r the contrary, there is" said Sec
rotary Daniels. ...o.,
that because OF the absence OF such :
noIiey II may lead to war, and tna'
| the navy is INFERIOR
I 81 do not. The board may nave USED
| the word inferior in referring TO the
lumber of ships. We have fewer Ships
than Germany and England, Tor IN.
stance. but | would have used FEWER
and not inferior. ,.;...
"Are we in position OF lnieriori'y'
as chsrged?' ., liz; or
men,"
Would Not Ask for Four Ships.
Secretary Daniels's disagreement
with the General Board as 10 ms
recommendations for ships OF the nrst
line of defence brought out hood oil
questions from members OF inc com
mittee. Said Representative Bro"n-
ing, of New Jersey:
would you recommend -FOUR Dat'ie-
ships TO be constructed tins year, IN
line with the recommendation. OF the
General Board, Mr.. Secretary /"
ar we had sufficient revenue re-
plied Mr.. Daniels, 81 might make such
Recommendation for increases OF TINS
character. but not in the eXlgency oil
the present European war. Under no
circumstances, in view of the great
problem of the values Of fshting
forces az sea which are now being
worked out, could | see my way clear
l. make an extraordinary recon-
mendation for expenditure Tor iour
battleships at this juncture. -,
"Havc we now powerful navy
asked Representative Roberts, OF Mas
sachusetts.
The Secretary thought the country
had, but Mr. Roberts pursued the ar
gument with the question as TO wheln,
err or not the government should add
to the effective fighting units OF the
sea forces. He asked If the present
policy of the Navy Department con
templated the retirement of SHIPS LOT
age after twenty years of service.
"There is no hard and fast RUE
about these retirements,' replled Sec
retary Daniels. ain my opinion no
ship should be retired until ITS ayaila-
bility for further service had peeh
passed upon by the experts OF lls
navy. Further. il must be remembers
that the retirement OF ships from t"e
first line does not put them altogethe'
out of the line OF FIRST ohenee anu W
fence They become ships of another
class canable of being used for coast
defence and for other purposes.
Two a Year Enough.
"Ru. ~ insisted Mr.. Roberts. are
there any fixed numbers OF UNITS ae g.,
cided upon by the Navy Department
ar W. build two battleships a year
that will be enough" answered MI
Daniels. apparently unwilling TO Dc
ninned down TO direct answer as u
.he definite plans Of the department,
Mr. Roberts read from the recon-
uendations of the General Board ior
The fiscaI year 19l4-15. in which II was
sts,ed that the Navy Department ana
Congress were without hNed naFAl
noijcv and that the absence OF such
policy was a menace to the proper DC
| fensivc position OF the Onited states
as a naval power.
as il true that there is no complete
! 6xcd policy of naval development ouI-