Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-11
SECY DANIELS


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! strength than it would have acted II
there had been no war in Europe. AT.
ter the conflict abroad had been set
tied, he said, there would be many
| lessons made plain and he expressed
the hope that the UNIVERSAL disarma-
ment might come then, though no ma
ton could afford to stop its construc-
tion program until an international
agreement had become an actually.
Naval Reserve Plan
Mr. Daniels outlined a plan for q
naval reserve to keep $4,000 trained
former sailors of the navy for prac-
tically instant service and revealed
that all retired officers were being
registered for that purpose now.
There is no OCCASION" said the
secretary. to have as big and power
full navy as England, for instance,
but we ought to have powerful
navy, steadily strengthened each year.
My opinion is that universal disarm-
ament will come, but never by the
action of any one nation, and we
would not further it by stopping con-
struction now"
~ have recommended this year, that
we continue the regular and normal
construction recommended last year,
said the secretary. 1T seems to me
wise policy for steady enlargement
This includes two dreadnoughts, six
destroyers, eight submarines or more
Gone of sea-going and seven or more
of the coast defence type). one gun
boat and one oiler. The President APP
proves this"
Mr.. Daniels characterized as Eek
travagantn suggestions that in the
light of the European experience there
should be 100 submarines and 50 bat
tieships The President, he said. be-
lieyes I'm the steady development of
the navy n I&
THE President'fshe added, recon
mended that Congress make the navy
more powerful in the orderly way that
we did at the last Congress"
Personnel Full
For the first time for many years
the navy strength of personnel is full.
OF every six men offered for service
we have declined five. ! am not ask
ing for men at this Congress. We
must, however, add them as we add
to the ships. At the next session or
Congress 1 shall ask for more men.
1t is unnecessary to have enough men
at this time to man all the ships in
the navy. We have on every ship, IN
ordinary and in reserve, enough men
to care for them. We ought to have
not more than 200 of our ships in
commission at any one time. We have
| 229 ships in all. We have now 80 per
cent. of our fighting force in full COM
mission and We'll keep that up"
Secretary Daniels said he was ask
| ing this Congress to authorize a re-
serve of former sailors of the navy,
| which he said. would in 10 days time
produce $4,000 picked men for SER
vice."
| Universal disarmament, Mr.. Daniels
| thought practicable, but only by In
ternational agreement.
| Secretary Daniel declared under ques-
tioning that eff the revenues were album
dant I would rather have 4s battleships
by 1919, but I would not feel that was
important II We go forward with our
regular program
This came after the committee had ex-
amined him regarding the differences be-
tween his views and those of the gen.
eral board. The boards plan and recent
recommendation are for four battleships
year with view of 4S battleships by
1919
| He asked the committee to authorize
100000 for a battery from Thomas A. Ed
/ ison which, he said, if it did the work
Mr.. Edison thought it would do, would
solve the whole submarine problem.
| Mr.. Daniels said that the building of
submarines was the most difficult thing
in the world and that when they were
built they seldom fulfilled promises made
for them.
Now" he said, I'VE have bought ma
terial and are beginning to build sub
marine ourselves, which we are building
at the Portsmouth, N. H., navy yard.
believe We have got to come to building
them ourselves Their engines and bat
teries are the problem. The lead bat
teries have life not exceeding five
years. Mr.. Edison is working on bat
terry which is being tested at the New
York navy yard. He thinks he has a
submarine that will stand
Referring to the disappointment in sub
marine efficiency, the secretary suggest
ed to the committee that "out of 200 sub
marines that Germany and England to-
getheri have, the world has heard of the
achievements Of only three