Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-18

teer forces do not amount 10 IIsnnsl
Cook
Rear Admiral straus tells us that
all battleships which are in commission
now or which will be IN commission
before the Nevada and the Oklahoma
are completed are equipped with short
range torpedo which may be considered
obsolete for the battle feet However
the admiral cheers us up with the slad
tidinss that In two years we shall find
the situation much relieved.
OBSOLETE WAR VESSELS.
Two months since could get informa-
tion pretty freely down in the Navy De-
partment, Before this pestIlence of mine
developed learned that a very wide
spread belief exists among well-informed
officers to the efrsct that after Is years.
service. rather than after 20 years serv-
ice, many types OF war vessels are as
obsolete AZ a Roman trireme. The same
story was told this committee by Assist
ant Secretary Roosevelt II such is the
case, a considerable number OF our ships
which still llnEer like ghohta upon the
navy list have In reality been gathered
10 their fathers in their last long sleep
II don't believe that any weli-informed
man believes our fleet 10 be super
ANl ~ NlAuN VI NNIUNNngs y gNAN hkps NtNI
Admiral Q. ~. Vreeland testified that we
we're third In the race, and moreover
that we are pretty bad third, for he said
that we should still be third IN 1920, even
n we adopted the building program Of
the general board.
II am here to ask you to appropriate
for the full number OF new ships recom-
mended by the general naval board for
this years construction. Don't be penny
wise and pound foolish, The country for
change ia going to watch ua, so don't
reduce the building program OF the board,
As you know, the general naval board
from 1908 down to the present time has a
pretty definite policy, but we have paid II
no attention hitherto"
HAS "wAKED UP" AT LAST.
Representative Gardner was subjected
to sharp grilling by Representatives
Henslcy. Williams, Of Illinois; wither-
spoon and Chairman Padgett OF the
Naval Committee. In reply to question
by Representative Henaley, Gardner de-
clared he was not partisan as far as
this investigation Is concerned. and tho
reason he had not brought up the subject
before was because, IT have been cow
ard like the balance Of us, but now have
Gardner said the testimony of Assistant
Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt, Admiral
Fiske and Commander Stirling, was the
beginning OF the end OF the soporlic
silence regarding naval preparedness
This soporiae silence" he said, has
radlated from the White House and
spread over this committee"
Gardner said that he believed the ma
ton would be perpetually unprepared for
war II 1t continued to allow "musty old
boards" to determine what should be
lone.
"Do you think we ought to bo in a
continual state OF preparedness for war;
What Is your position7" asked Rep
'esentative Williams,
First. I want an investigation" replied
Gardner, ito ascertain where we stand as
compared with other navles Of the world"
Gardner and Chairman Padgett clashed
IN the subject OF torpedoes, Padgett de-
,lared that the navy was short only six
orpedoes and Gardner insisted that he
lad a memorandum In the handwriting
II an official OF the navy showing that
he navy has but 51l torpedoes and that
approximately 27O0 were needed.
81 was told" said Gardner, that ar
Rngements had been completed for a
otal OF 2S27 torpedoes, but that would
till leave considerable shortage. When
first went to the Navy Department to
admiral Straus' office II took nearly an
our to find out how many tubes we
lad in the navy. found out that we
ave only 5s long-range torpedoes In the
avy
I'VE have not even two torpedoss for
ach OF our tubes. and these are OF the |
hort-range variety"
Representative Gardner argued that the |
onfllcting information furnished by navy |
fileialH showed the need OF an investi- |
alton such as he 10 asking for.