Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-06
President Wilson Expected to
Have Final Word as to
Program.
LESSONS OF GREAT WAR
ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE
One Faction of Experts Would
Abandon Dreadnaughts and Build
Huge Submarine Fleets.

Not until President Wilson has had
the last word is it likely the new naval
program and building plans to he pre-
scented to Congress next winter Will
be completed. Although the secretary
of the Navy and his advisers have had
the subject under consideration con-
tinuously for months, definite conclu-
sions, in the light of the lessons of the
European war. have not yet beer
framed. Secretary Daniels. it is said,
hopes for more Information from the
war zone upon which the United States
may build with profit and safety. but
it Is likely the President himself VIII
say the final word as to the number
and types of ships to be asked for.
So far little Information has been
received TO aid the naval CONSTRUCTORS
All the belligerents are maintaining
the stricteSt secrecy as 70 their pans
or the lessons they have drawn Tor
themselves from the few sea battles.
American naval attaches at l-ohdoN,
Paris and Berlin have had little oppor-
tunity to furnish enligntenlnE reports,
and there have been no foreign ohSerN-
ers aboard any of the war fleets at sea.
Under Pledge of Secrecy.
II is said that the American attache
at Berlin has had opportunity to see
considerable of the work gong on III
German yards. but if so he has been
under the strictest injunction not 10
reveal what he has observed, even IN
official reports. during the continuance
of the war.
The greatest question that has come
Nv, If tbe war is considered by many
AMERICAN naval officers to be the future
OF the d~readnaught. So far as is known
not a single capital snip mas peei
engaged, and the value OF those eHo!-
mousIy expensive fighting mAcArAes Is
still as problematical rs 1t was WheN
England launched the first a~ll-bls-Suh
ship. the D~readnausht- EhSlahus
newest Observation-Disclosures. the queen
Elizabeth. has bombdrded the forts AT
The D~ardareiles but SO far as Navy
De1artmeut advices go she Is the oLlS
ship of her class to have ire1 4 shot
so far.
4. the fuu realization of predictions
made for submarines when the nrSt
uudersea boat was constructed. Against
those small and comnaratiVeiE mex.
pensive weapons No adequate means oi
defense has been found and the lrSl-
line ships OF the fghting naNies are
behind mine fields or screens OF torp"do
boats and destroyers. leaving the actile
work of the war to the Older fft"rean-
naught ba~ttleships. the battle cruisers
and lighter and less expensive craft.
All Big Ships Destroyed"
When the first m~aneuvers OF the
American navy in which submarines
participated took place, some officers
declared the day OF The battleship had
passed. In theory ever big ship which
approached shore during those opera
lions were destroyed. Events of the
European war, SO far as they are
known, apparently bear out that as
sumption of the superiority of subma-
rines, and that is proving Il vexing
problem in deciding what shall be the
future American policy OF naval coz
struction.
Navy engineers now are deeply en-
gagged with experiments looking to the
discovery Of some practical defense
against submarine attack. should they
find a solution OF the problem. the big
ship program Will be INDICATED. While
nothing has been revealed of their ex-
pe~rlU!ents. it is assumed that questions
of greateA subdivision % bulls and
stronger buikheads, Or aruo- 70 extend
about the TniGSiip sections OF battle
ships below the watcriine and ca pa bic
OF resisting the blow o. 4 modern tor
pedo. and also the location OF SuUina-
rines at q considerable distance ard
their pursuit by swift, light. easily han
died craft such as d~cstroyers are being
considered. Tie latter defense IS the
only practical one which seems to have
mel with any success abroad. so far
as is known, yet officers here point out
that 1T best ii is like searching for =
needle in a haystdck. and that the de-
stroyer defense does not meet the prob
lem in anything like Al adequate way.
Location and destruction of subnia-
rinss by a~erOplanes also is considered
Impractical in amy but special cases