New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-14
urges COUNCIL OF
NATIONAL DEFENCE
Navy League Suggests a
Tribunal of Experts with
Legislators
WANTS PRESIDENT
ALSO REPRESENTED
Nation Needs Ships. II Is Argued,
TO Hold Seas Until Big Army
Can Be Enlisted.

Washington, Jan. Is.-Ths Navy
League Of the United States. which
has been advocating the creation Of
/ Council of National Defence "a the
best way for the country 70 have a
| systematic policy of national defence.
has addressed tho following letter %
/ Congressman Padgett, chairman OF the
| House Committee on Naval Affairs.
through the chairman Of ITS executive
committee:
MAY ! urge upon you tho necessity
Of Council Of National Defence
What the Navy League rs asking
| for IS "A careful invest cation 90 de-
| tcrmlne what increase OF the navy ~
needed, and in what shape. ! am one
| q those who believe that when the
present world-war is finished condi-
| tons may be very much changed, but
/ one thing that this war has clearly
| demonstrated is this: That a navy
which is not strong enough for the
| purpose for which IL is intended Is Of
| no use at all. The German battleships
have been bottled up at kicl while
the seas have been cleared Of German
commerce and German cruisers, and
all the capital that has been expended
| for the building OF these ships has so
far in the present war gone for naught
Work for Experts.
~ know that your committee has
from time TO time done good work.
especially during the last session Of
Congress. and. so far as your lcgisla-
tive duties would permit, has investi-
gated the needs Of the navy. But we
want something more than this. 10 ~
not work that can be done By a COM
mittee Of the House or Of the Senate
! in the short time that is placed at
/ their disposal. IL is work 10 be done
| by experts.
"What is required is tribunal. be-
| fore which this work can be placed,
| TO carefully study and consider what
| is wanted. You know. and ] know
| that the United States does not want
/ TO be stinCy in the matter Of an OK
pendture that is necessary 20 insure
/ the safety and comfort Of the people.
/ You know. and we all know, that no
/ disaster can be greater than 90 have
an enemy invade our country.
at is the habit with some OF the op-
/ ponents Of the navy TO say. and per
| haps to believe. that naval officers and
/ their friends are anxious TO bring on
war Never was a more cruel false
/ hood conceived and told. For fifty
( years have been in close and intimate
touch with naval officers, and, ln ny
judgment. there Is no class OF men ln
the United States who more appreciate
the value of peace or who have higher
ethical understanding of the duty they
owe 20 their country
THE government has educated and
/ prepared them 20 be experts on the
question of defending the country.
| When they tell YOU that certain things
are necessary they are giving YOU the
best fruits Of their knowledge and
study. Personally. I have always be-
lieved that by a change m methods
! very great economies could be brought
about in the navy. II is for this rca-
son that have long been urging Con-
gress for proper tribunal 90 thor
oughly study the question.
Men with Weight Needed.
Gust how that tribunal is TO be COM
posed ! have no definite opinion. That
is a matter for the wisdom OF Congress
TO pass upon; but as a general prin-
ciple IT must include representatives
Of the executive and legislative
branches OF the government
whose position and experience will
have weight with the public at large
when their decision is reached
81 have got past the point where ! Z
care to argue with any one as 10 the
necessity of an adequate navy. \ man .
who denies that two and two make four
is past convincing. But II we are TO
have a navy, then We must have one
adequate for the purposes for which IL
is intended. With us a navy ]. never
needed for purposes OF aggression.
The countries on this continent with
whom we may from time to time be
called upon to adjust differences are.
from a military point Of view, so weak
that no great navy is required By Us
TO handle any problem presented by
such an occasion. Our problem is
purely one of defence against a strong
military nation which, for reasons OF
its own, may seek 10 cross the seas
and attack US
I'VE have not, nor probably will we
ever have, an army so great that we can
rely upon IL 10 prevent such an attack,
so If, for any reason, We become in
volved in a serious dispute with any
one Of the great military nations, what
we require Is time enough to enlist and
train an efficient army. IL is idle, un-
der existing conditions, TO think that
this can be done in less than year, or
eighteen months. Therefore, our prob
lem is TO hold the seas against the
transports of an enemy for at least
eighteen months. Put US in that posi-