Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-12-08

which plans long matured shall be carried out; but it does make definite and explicit program which has heretofore been only implicit, held in the minds of the two committees on naval affairs and disclosed in the de- bates of the two houses but nowhere formulated or formally adopted. It seems to me very clear that it will be to the advantage of the country for the congress to adopt a comprehen- sive plan for putting the navy upon a final footing of strength and eff ciency and to press that plan to con- pletion within the next five years. We have always looked to the navy of the country as our first and chief line of defense; we have always seen it to be our manifest course of pru- dence to be strong on the seas. Year by year we have been creating navy which now ranks very high indeed among the navies of the maritime na- tions. We should now definitely de. termine how we shall complete what we have begun, and how soon.
 The program to be laid before you contemplates the construction within five years of ten battleships, six bat tie cruisers, ten scout cruisers, fifty destroyers, fifteen fleet submarines, eighty-tive coast submarines, four gun boats, one hospital ship, two ammuni- tion ships, two fuel oil shipss and one regular repair ship. It is proposed that of this number we shall the first year provide for the construction of two battleships, two battle cruisers, three scout cruisers, fiften destroyers, five fleet submarines, twenty-five coast submarines, two gunboats, and one hospital ship; the second year, two battleships, one scout cruiser, ten de- stroyers, four fleet submarines, fifteen coast submarines, one gunboat, and one fuel oil ship; the third year, two battleships, one battle cruiser, two scout cruisers, five destroyers, two fleet submarines, and fifteen coast submarines; the fourth year, two bat tleships, two battle cruisers, two scout cruisers, ten destroyers, two fleet sub- marines, fifteen coast submarines, one ammunition ship, and one fuel oil ship; and the fifth year, two battle ships, one battle cruiser, two scout cruisers, ten destroyers, two fleet sub- marines, fifteen coast submarines, one gunboat, one ammunition ship, and one repair ship.
 More Men for the Navy.
 The secretary of the navy is asking also for the immediate addition to the personnel of the navy of 7,500 sail ors, 1900 apprentice seamen, and 1,5O0 marines. This increase would be sufficient to care for the ships which are to be completed with in the fiscal year 1917 and also for the number of men which must be put in training to man the ships which will be completed early in 1918. It is also necessary that the number of midship- men at the Naval academy at Annap- olis should be increased by at least three hundred
 If this full program should be car ried out we should have built or build ing in 1921, according to the estimates of survival and standards of classifi- cation followed by the general board of the department, an effective navy consisting of 27 battleships, of the first line, battle cruisers, % battleships of the second line, 10 armored cruis- CTS, 13 scout cruisers, 5 first-class cruisers, 8 second.class cruisers, 10 third-class cruisers, 10S destroyers, IS fleet submarines, 157 coast submarines, 6 monitors 20 gunboats, 4 supply ships, IS fuel ships, transports, 3 tenders to torpedo vessels, ves- sells of special types, and 2 ammuni- tion ships. This would be navy fit- ted to our needs and worthy of our traditions.
 But armies and instruments of war are only part of what has to be con- sidered if we are to consider the su- preme matter of national self-suff1cien- cy and security in all its aspects. There are other great matters which will be thrust upon our attention whether we will or not. There is, for example, very pressing question of trade and shipping involved in this great problem of national adequacy. It is necessary for many weighty req sons of national efficiency and devel- opment that we should have a great merchant marine.
 It is high time we repaired our mis- take and resumed our commercial inde- pendence on the seas.
 Need of Merchant Marine.
 For 1t is a question of independ- ence. If other nations go to war or seek to hamper. each others com merce, our merchants, 1t seems, are at their mercy, to do with as they please. We must use their. ships, and use them as they determine. We have not ships enough of our owA We cannot handle our own conmarHe on the seas. Our independ denee Ia prdysi cj1l. and is, only op land an4 HI jH Asss.ss@ stNSaIrc y0a 304 triN3 HfIf61l1