The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-01
FOR SMALLER navy
MAJORITY LEADER OPPOSED TO
INCREASING SEA FORCE
AGAINST DREADNOUGHTS
North Carolina Congressman Predicts
That Little Will be Spent for Ma
tional Defence-Says Submarines
and Torpedo Boat Destroyers ara
Enough.
REPRESENTATIVE Claude Kit

Representative Claude Kitchin,
majority leader of the House Of Rep
resentatives, and chairman Of the
ways and means committee, created a
mild sensation in Washington Thurs
day when ne declared that not q doll
lar. of government money would be.
voted for battleships of the dread
nought type during the coming ses-
sion of congress unless it was accom-
pIished without his vote and consent.
. Mr.. Kitchin declared that he has
always been a "smaH navy" man and
that the lesson taught by the Euro
pean war is sufficient to convince
him and other "small navy" men that
their position is sound and he in,
tends to stand by mis- convictions.
In view of the almost certain rec
ommendation by President wilson for
large appropriations for the army and
navy in his message to congress
which assemblies three months hence
and also the statement which Secre-
tary Daniels made in Boston this
week that millions would be spent for.
batt1eships, Mr.. Kitehin's statement
is considered most remarkable, COM
ing as it does from the leader Of the
Democrats in the House.
Mr.. Kitchin declared that he was.
willing to help secure the appropria-
ton of sufficient money to build sub
marines and torpedo boat destroyers
but that now is not the time for this
country to waste money building the
larger type of battleships. s. s
EFF ever there was time when the
American government could afford to-
disregard the clatter Of the jingoes
for large appropriations for our army
and navy it is now" said MIR. kitchan.
"I am small navy man. I have
held this position for years. The war
now going on in Europe has conVsnc-
ed me that my position is sound and
I shall refuse to vote any approprla-
tions for the dreadnought type OF
battleships during the congress which
assemblies December next.
81 am willing to vote for any meas
ure making appropriations for sub
marines, torpedo boat destroyers and
the smaller type Of war craft. It cost
this government nearly eighteen mil
lion dollars to build and equip one OF:
the largest battleships. Basing the
cost Of a submarine at about six hun
dred thousand dollars, we can build
forty submarines for what it costs to-
construct one large battleship. We
have thirty submarines already un-
der construction and if we provide
for thirty or forty more this year We
will be protected against the world.
There is not nation in the world
that could get within two hundred
and fifty miles of our shores II we
have enough submarines and torpedo
boats to patrol our coasts. This was
demonstrated when one small Ger
man submarine worked its way to the
some eighteen hundred
miles from home. When the sub
marine was discovered the Allies.
fleet, those that were left-hye OF
them are at the bottom Of the sea
left for parts unknown.
"You have seen the statement ac-
credited to Secretary Daniels tnat
millions will be spent for the navy
during the coming session OF con-
gress?'' Mr.. Kitchin was asked.
ooh, yes, I have heard Of that
staten ment. But congress is not go
Ing to be stampeded into appropriat-
ing large sums Of money tor large
battleships simply because one man
or any one set Of men are needing
the howls of the jingoes. Less than
ten million dollars will be appropri&t-
ed for national defense by the con-
eress unless I am nightly mistaken.