New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-29
Vreeland Says AsiatiCs Are
Pushing Construction
to the Limit.
FACTS GIVEN HOUSE
AT SECRET HEARING
Increased Shipbuilding by This
Country Held Necessary to
Avert Conflict.
Lrron rhe r-lhnr, Rn..an-l

Washington. Jan. 2S-Information Of
z confidential and startling nature was
given the House Committee on Naval
Affairs to-day ny Rear Admiral c. f..
Nrccland OF the General Board Of trc
navy. who earnestly advocated that this
nation keep pace with Japan in ne
construction OF hattlcships
The Japanese naval construction Iol-
icy the comparative case with whicH
Japan could siezo tho Philippines, and
possibly Hawaii i'm the event Of trouble
and the impression OF naval stratcgists
that that country would Immediately
ask a repeal Of the California alien land
law II the naval strength or Japan was
allowed TO exceed that Of the United
States. were subjects secretly discussed
q bout the committee table.
Rear Admiral Vreeland's views we're
given behind closed doors. and part
OF his testimony was Of such conf
dental nature that it will not he pub
ishcd in the committee hearings. Mem
hcrs OF the committee were reluctant
TO talk OF the threc-hour session, but
Admiral Vrceland impressed the COM
mittee with the necessity Of a return
TO an adequate building programme
Sure United States Would Win.
The building policies Of Germany,
France and Italy were incidentally DIS
cussed. but in view Of the controversy
the Japanese situation received closest
attention Rear Admiral Vreeland is
said to have volunteered little. content
ing himself with answering the pointed
questions Of committee members.
Asked il Japan could seize Alaska as
easily as the Philippines. the naval
strategist replied in the negative and
then gave the reasons for that answer
These explanations will not appear ~
the record. The admiral did not doubt
that the United States would best
Japan eventually In case OF war. Dat
there seemed to be general agreement
that temporarily ia pan would hold the
Philippines, and that If she ever struck
a blow il would be a quick and concen-
tratcd one.
Rear Admiral Vroeland is reported 10
have said that while it was Difficult, 10
get a definite line on the naval con-
struction policy Of Japan, that nation
was spending all it could for battle
ships and auxiliaries. He told the
House committee that unless the
United States wanted to fall behind tie
procession it must adopt a more liberal
naval policy.
Small Navy" Men Aroused
The admiral disagreed with Repre-
sentatives Hensley and Buchanan,
small navy men, that preparedness
for war invites conflict. Mr.. Hensley
argued that an armed man is more
likely to get into fight than an un-
armed man, and that the same state
ment applied to nations.
The California land law controversy
was brought up, and the admiral is re-
ported TO have acquiesced in the pre-
diction that whenever the United States
navy should rank lower than that oe
ia pan a demand may be expected for
a repeal Of that law.
The committee meeting was enlivened
by an attack by Representative Bu-
chanan upon the Navy League AMI
other organizations OF a semi-patriotic
nature. Mr.. Buchanan criticised The
Navy League for its activity in behalf
of a big navy and intimsted that il
was playing into the hands Of the Steel
Trust. When Admiral Vrecland. ex-
planning that he was not connected
with the league, asked liberal appro-
Continued on second page, first column.