The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-01-29
LITTLE and BIG
NAVY men FIGHT
IT OUT in HOUSE
Debate Expected To Continue
Until Far Into the Night
Hours
GARDNER SPEECH
is A CATECHISM
More Protection For Pacific
Coast Urged by
Stephens

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-Amer-
ica's naval strength and that OF the
European belligerents were compared
and analysed In the house today.
The issue of naval preparedness
loaned large In the debate begun on
the annual naval appropriation bill.
big" and little" navy advocates
engaged the whole day In verbal war
fare under an agreement to talk late
In the night before beginning real
consideration OF the naval program.
The United States navy was pic
tured on one. hand as Inadequate
either for de.ense or ofiense. Foes
of q larger navy declared that agrees
sion is not planned by this govern
ment and that the present navy 10
adequate for defense purposes.
Rep. Stevens, OF California. urged
more protection for the Pacific coast
I'VE have two great ocean fronts
and a feet large enough fairly to
protect one" he said. The Pacific
coast has more miles Of territory
touching the three-mile lirIit than
has the Atlantic coast, but It has no
dreadnaught to help protect II.
am not one OF those who think
war imminent, and yet must ask
you who read the news OF the. world
TO answer one question: II war
should come tomorrow, In which d.
rection would you look to see the
flash OF the guns? Do you think the
Pacific coast ought to be fairly well
protected? Now that the Panama
canal is open, do you not think the
only feet we have should be on the
Pacific coast at least a part OF the
time?
Secretary of the Navy Daniels has
said the fleet should not be divided.
Well, then, why not keep 1t In the
Pacific most of the time? It 10 no
farther from the Pacific TO the At
lantic th9n from the Atlantic to the
Pacific CO T."
Rep. Gardner reduced HIS remarks
to sort OF catechism, reading his
own questions and his own answers.
Some OF them fol-ow:
Q-what Is the general board OF
the navy?
Att is an advisory board cpmpos-
ed of the very ablest officers OF the
navy.
o-what does the general board
advise for a building program this
year,
1T advises four battleships. 16
three fleet submarines. 10
coast submarines, fonr scout cruisers.
four gunboats, seven auxiliaries, and
IS 600. 900 for the air service.
O-what are we going to DO with
the general boards advicef
Ave are going to chuck 1t In the
waste basket as usual
OILS the ship BUILDING program.
which the general board advises. sup
posed to he sufTicient TO insure our
safety against Great Britain?
A-Bv no means. II Is supposed TO
be suffcient TO insure our safety
AGAINST any nation except Great Brit.
ain.
Q-why Is that?
Al give II up.
Q-Is our feet prepared for war;
Against the Mexican fleet, yes;
against formidable enemy, no.
Q-what do you suggest, Congress-
man Gardiner
Al suggest that we have an indie
commission to tell the coun-
try the facts and advise us what we
ought to do. I advise every man In
the house and senate to vote for the
full program OF the general board OF
the navy, and advise him to put his
foot down on this untimely cut pro-
posed by the house committee on ma
val affairs.