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

toe chairman. to which the Secretary
replied;
eve are building a good navy
.sWhat would you say with regard
70 Germany" Mr.. Gray asked. -" ouic
the same programme be necessary
81 think So" Mr.. Daniels answered
81 think it is essential for US to have
nowerful navy-not against anypouy
/ IN nar+icular. but il is essential for a
nation 10 have & powerful! navy against
anv untoward contingency
"We are not against anybody; we
are FOR ourselves" said the chairman
"As was said just now" sald me
: SECRETARY. "the time was wnen wal
was declared that you had iofhal
declaration a long time ahead. but men
now 90 TO war the next morning, and
! ,borefore we must always be IN a state
/ of preparedness"
.Do vou think we would require as
largo a navy now to meet other naVsi
Movers. when they are engaged IN war
auonq themselves, as we did when they
,yere not engaged among themselves
Mr.. Gray asked. -.
81 do not think we can safely nave
anv smaller navy than we have, and
we ought 10 have IL stronger.
Near the outset of his testimony
SECRETARY Daniels was asked by Repre-
sentative Butler how the United states
could encourage a movement Tor DIS
armament II it continued TO build
ships. -.
sct today any differently than we
would if there were no war abroad,
said Secretary Daniels. we should
carry on our regular normal Duildlng
nrooramme. Il would be great mis-
t.ke because we hope for TINS re-
auction in armament) to stop building
ourselves. We have a powerful navy,
and 10 be kept powerful this navy must
be added to-"
What the President Meant.
REPRESENTATIVE Butler asked Secre-
+arr Daniels TO explain what President
Wilson mean in mis- message reading:
"Our policv will not be for an occa-
81 understand was the reply. that
tho President means ou- policy snail
no that the steady development Of the
navy shall 20 along to-day as IT has
du ing the past session. nc meant
,hat We would take no hysterical action
Il think he used the word nervous
He recommends that VIC 90 along IN
orderly way to make the navy more
nowerful. There has been much dis
cussion because of the war IN Eu-
rope. but because OF that war We
sbould s,.oulG not yield 10 extravagant
demands for the building Of 100 SUB
marines and fifty b~ttleships.'
The split between the General Board
and Secretary Daniels was brought out
ubcn Representative Butler read an
extract from the report OF the General
BOARD. which consists OF naval experts,
as Admitted by Secretary Daniels. who
said. nevertheless, that he could not
agree with their expert recommends
tons. The General Board view wa:
"The absence of any definite 1aval
policy on our part, except IN the Gen
eral Board. and the failure of the peo-
pie. the Congress and the executive
government 10 recognize the necessity
for such a policy, have already placed
us in a position of inferiorlty which
may lead TO war; and this inferiority
l. Progressive and will continue T. in
crease until the necessity for definite
policy is recognized and that policy put
into operation
"Do you approve OF this statement,
which is in your report" asked Mr..
Roberts.
II do not approve Of II. and included
IL only for information"
"Hss the department any policy, and
ghat IS 1t