Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-10-22
MANY THOUSAND
MEN NEEDED To
MAN ALL SHIPS
Acting Secretary Roosevelt
Supplements Chiefs Report,
Giving Much Data Of Inter
est to Nation,
49, - s'-'-.''''- 1000 -- 81 .''-.. ...-.-



Washington, oct ID How eight
teen thousand additional men would
he needed by the American navy toman
all OF It's ships for war was explained
in a statement ISSUED tonight lay Act
Ing Secretary Roosevelt supplement-
Ing Secretary Daniels recent reply 81
published criticisms Ut the uaNN's pre-
paredness.
while admitting that twelve of thc
thirty three battleshps cannot be pat
in service on account of the shortage
Of men. MIR Roosevelt declared that
In regard 10 the ships and equipment
the navy liz in excellent shape
Like Secretary Daniels the aetne
secretary maintained that hattleshlp'
stil are the paramount factors 'ir
Amy war in which the helligorents are
separated by great distances Of WA
ter
The value Of submarines in their
present state Of DEVELOPMENT for coas
defense purposes and tor offensive at.
lacks within short radiuses was con-
coded,
I'm regard TO the numbers of TIA,
officers and men of the navy" Alr
Roosevelt said. there has never beer
an attempt to hide the fact that a.
though the numbers are recruited az
to the limit allowed by congress. W
have only sufficient men Go man. 90
IAN adequate manner "A portion Of thu
vessels already built
AT the present time three second
lline battleships, two armored cruls
iers. four first class cruisers, one sec
lond class cruiser two third clas.
tcruisers. twenty-one destroNers. trte'
monitors. five submarines. one gun
boat, three fuel ships and two vessel
of special type are in commission i'
reserve. that is to say they have oi
board only from % to so per cent "a
the crews necessary to man them IA
case of war
There are also six second line bat
.tleships. one armored cruiser, one sec
lund, class cruiser and fourteen tor
lpcdo boats which are In the conditio
technically called in ordinary Thes
vessels are manned by from 10 % .
per cent of their regular compliments
lust enough to prevent them ffor
rusting to pieces.
Large additional Force.
TO provide proper complemet
for all vessels of the navy which coul
sim be made useful for war purpose
would require ana addition To the pres
cent force allowed by congress Of ahot
tlS.O00 men
Meanwhile the problem is bceon
ing more difficult as time goes ON pc
cause of the vessels under constfuc
ton which must shortly. Zoe provide
with crews For Instance. during III
coming year two battlaships the ok
nhoma and Nevada, Will take thci
places with the fleet Each Of thes
vessels will require complement O
nearly thousand men each.
con paper the navy possesses at III
present time ten battleships of th
first line and twenty three battle
ships Of the second line AeiuallA
however. only the ten hattleships d
the first line and eleven hattlcshir
of the second lire can be placed =
commission for service because of III
shortage Of men
I'm regard to the material of ih
navy. that is to say ships aud thel
equipments, matters are on the Who'll
IN excellent shape. As units, the YES
sells in commission are we'll built, we
designed aud well cared for aud com
pare in all types very tavorably wit
the vessels of other powers. IN fact
believe they are better I'm a fey
particulars such as the lack Of SURF
Client tofpedoes there is room for grea
Improvement. also Ia regard 10 th
lack of certain auxiliaries and the %
sufficient number Of scouts much ga
be done TO make tho fleet better bal
ianced"