Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-09
By ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY


have opportunity for gaining knowledge of the navy
They believe adequate navy but not sufficiently
informed their representatives to its upbudng The
result been that the growth the navy been haphaard
fevrshy pushed times when there imminent
national danger and allowed almost by the board when
there seemed the unframed observer occasion for alarm
The General Board carefully studied the nations
aspirations and the strength of the countries with whom
mercial rivalry likely to bring us in contact
studied well established national policies like the
Doctrine and the restriction of Oriental Immigration
looked into possible complications defending the Panama
Canal and maintaining its neutrality.
became thoroughly convinced that these policies could
be sustained without adequate navy that America must have
such surrender the place that it should justly hold
among the nations of the world
General Board studied policies of other
strong nations faed itself with their degree of prepared
gained the facts of their probable strength date twenty
years ahead 1t found that of these nations had outlined
for themselves definite that to lead to
strength given time the United expects able
occupy position of influence beside those nations that time
it adopt program that will give comparable feet
the future date
So three years after its organization the General Board in
1908 ready with its recommendations of building pro-
gram to last through the years and to result well balanced
and effective feet the year 1920 convinced of the ad
visibility of substituting this continuing consistent building pro-
gram for the haphaard methods of annual appropriations
Since year given same
advice with relation building policy It's recommendations
year been unanimously the experts
who have made the board The public has usually been
quaned with the number of ships that the General Board has
asked but the for those have
dust the archives of the Navy Department and the public has
understood the patriotic that lie back of the
mendons This year the Secretary of the Navy has transmit
ted the advice of the General Board Congress for the first time
and it has been made public
The General Board that the public should
become familiar with the building policy that proposes 1T
BELIEVES THAT THE PUBLIC, UNDERSTANDING, WILL
INSTRUCT ITS REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE AN AIDE
QUATE FLEET IF IT DOES NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY
WILL THEN REST WITH THE PEOPLE AND NOT THE
NAVAL EXPERTS
And what does this building program provide?
In the first place suggested that the nation adopt
definite cumulative building program. 1t shown that if
provision made for two batteship year with third ship
the third year. result 1920 capital
ships The auxiliary ships to maintain ebalanced
should of be provided with each increase in capital ships
This would not appear to be overambous building pro-
gram The General Board later recommend
four baeshps year The impression went abroad that the
General Board stood for continuous program of four ships
year This wrong The Board recommended this number
of ships for year because the ships provided previous
had been few and the possibility of reaching the goal of
48 ships in 1920 depended providing the greater number
the time asked
generally realized that United States lamen-
aby behind its construction of bateshp and that navy
has already been placed in position of nferorty during the
past two years.
The General Board realizes that its policy of 4s battle
ships in 1920 will not be realized 1t believes that building
program that will that result the earliest possible
should however be definitely adopted.
And when the creation of this logical we'll balanced navy
brought about this Government will have by the best
feet among the nations but it will then only then
adequate navy"
That feet will consist of capital ship for each State in the
Union For each baehp there should be destroyers
and two submarines those invisible protectors of home ports
This comprehensive program would be harmony with the
requirements of the Constitution and would provide
tain adequate and well proportional navy sufficient defend
American policies protect citizens uphold honor
- dignity of the nation