Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-11
SECRETARY or THE NAVY is oP-
POSED TO TAKING MORE
TERRITORY
PHILIPPINES ARE A NUISANCE
WOULD PROVE DIFFICULT OF DE-
FENsE IF A WAR SHOULD
OCCUR
BUILD OUR OWN WARSHIPS
OFFICIAL THINKS LESS BATTLE
SHIPS SHOULD BE MADE ON
CONTRACTS

CONTRACTS
Washington, Dec Secretary
Daniels continued today before the
house naval committee speaking on the
construction program He testified
that emergency battleships could be
built at various places and that while
80 months now was normally required
for ship building company to turn
out battleship, it might he possible
ito cut down the time to two years.
He said there were facilities rt the
Newport News, Cramps, New York
'Shipbuilding companies. Secretary
Daniels contended all navy yards
should be equipped to build warships.
New York and Philadelphia yards, he
said. should be able to build battle
ships; Norfolk and Portsmouth ought
to be able to build certain character
Of ships at the lowest price.
I'VE ought to have a place to build
a battleship out on the Pacific coast, :
he said.
Secretary Daniels said too many
sbipa were being built BY contract and
too few by fhe navy arda ne said
be weuld pse smaller ysfda Is btIil6
submarines. and reiterated his view
that the government ought to build
submarines.
We should not consider war with
any country or build against any couns
try" the secretary continued Eve
should prepare for our defense from
whatever quarter an attack may come:
a defense against any enemy We
must prepare to defend ourselves in
the best way we eapas. Many people
believe that our navy ought to be
greater than any or all of the other
nations. If any country comes and
attacks we must make the greatest de.
fense we can. If you go into war you
go in to win"
Secretary Daniels, replying to ques-
ton, said the United states OCT not
to acquire another foot of territory
"For instance, he said, the United
States had no idea of taking Manila,
when the war with Spain broke out.
Nobody supposed we would have any
thing to do with Manila. / am sorry
we ever took the Philippines, but ]
want to say that Admiral Dewey acted
in the most wise and statesmanlike
way. There is not a single act that
he ever committed in the Philippines
that committed this country to any
policy. His selfrepression and wisdom
left everything as to policy 70 civil
government
Uurging the dominant necessity for
battleships, Mr.. Daniels revealed his
view Of battle between the nayies
Iof Germany and the allies.
Suppose, he saw, that England
had no dreadnoughts. The German
fleet would come out and control the
seas. Any day that you pick up the
papers you may see report Of battle
royal between all these battleships,
compared to which these others are
mere skirmishes."
Country Well Prepared
The dominating necessity Of dread
naughts to maintain the strength O.
the great powers at sea, with subma
rine boats and submarine mines al
minor essentials, was emphasized by
Secretary Daniels before the hous'
naval committee. He declared that
if a foreign foe came to attack th'
United States the battleships would
first be relied upon and then would
come the submarines and mines. Mr.
Daniels reiterated that the European
war so far had demonstrated the wis
dom Of the naval program outlined fol
this session Of congress.
'Battleships we have he said, arr
the only ships we can rely on to con
mand the seas"