New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-17
GERMANY MAY TRY
TO DRIVE BARGAIN
Continued from psRe I

ments, for they realize that The pres
ent crisis will have a farresching ell
feet on plans for national defence. In
the Washington view the man who Is
getting the most education out OF the
present situation Is none other than
the self-styled head of "the greatest
Of all American institutions Of learn
ing"-the Secretary of the Navy. Mr..
Daniels said in his speech IN New
York last night:
"Our navy is good. 1t is rot good
enough, but with your help lthe help
OF naval officers), as long us am
Secretary of the Navy we will all try
to make it better. The navy Is strong,
but it is not strong enough
Only five months ago Secretary Dan
els was trying to persuade Congress
that the navy was, on the whole, good
enough for all practical purposes the
purposes he had in view being the pur
poses OF peace. lie sent TO Congress
the report OF the General Board OF
the navy, disclosing grave deficiencies
[ in our building programme, but at the
same time he sent message Of his
| own, whiting down the recommends
/ tions of the board and dtsparaging
I its professional judgment. II mis- own
recommendations should be granted, he
told the country in his report Of De-
/ cember | last, "the increase will be
noteworthy and will give Us a we'll
rounded navy, equal, IL not superior,
to that Of any nation in the world,
ship for shin and man for man"
The Secretary asked for much
smaller increase in naval strength than
the General Board asked for and a
smaller increase than Congress granted.
He did not even request Congress 20
remedy the most glazing fault in the
whole naval system the lack OF expert
military control in purely military
matters and Of centralized authority
responsible for the development of the
feet as fighting force. Congress was
on the point of undermining the Navy
Department by creating a bureau OF
operations equivalent in powers ard
character to general navy staff. But
the Secretary stepped in and prevented
that reorganization, limiting the
change 10 the creation OF bureau OF
operations subordinate TO him and sub
iect to all the whims and uncertainties
Of civilian control.
Defence Advocates Pleased.
Advocates Of stronger national de-
fence are grstified to md one Of the
two most "petrified pessimists" OIL the
value Of such a system in Mr.. Wilson 3
Cabinet Mr.. Bryan being the otheD
converted suddenly to their view. Mr..
Garrison, the Secretary OF War, is an
ardent believer in a reorgsnlzed and
enlarged army, both in the first line
and ia the reserve. If Mr.. Daniels is
going TO cooperate with the higher Of
ficers Of the navy IN restoring naval
efficiency a new era of national mill
tary preparedness IS almost IN sight,
the defence advocates believe.
They feel il is a pity that Congress is
not now in session. so that the country
could receive some practical evidence
Of Mr.. Daniels's change Of heart before
the enthusiasm OF his naval review Ut
tcraIc.s wears away.
Charles J. Bonapartc, ex-Secretary OF
the Navy and ex-Attorney General in
President Roosevelts Cabinet. has just
issued an appeal for the calling OF an
extra session Of Congress TO put the
country in state OF complete defence
without delay and without regard to
cost" Many advocates Of a real mill
tAry preparedness warmed up TO that
appeal to-day. Sooner or later Con-
gress must do what MIR. Bonaparte sug-
gests, they declare, adding that no
other Lusitania crisis Is going 20 find
Us so unequal 10 the task Of defend ng
our rights and vindicating our honor
as We are to-day,