The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-10-05
CBy III. T.. c. BRYANT)
Washington Staff Correspondent.
Especial to The News and Observer.

Washington, Oct. 2.-Secretary
Daniels is working out an elaborate
program for the Navy. He will
soon make a full report to the Pres
ident and submit his recommendations
for Congress. |
The jingoes and Republican politi-
clans, who seek an issue on which to
oppose President Wilson. have made
a great racket about the lack OF
preparedness for war Of this country.
The Navy today is better by far than
the Republicans left it after they were
in power nearly twenty years. The
army is better off than when the
Republicans ruled at Washington.
The Republican politicians are not
getting anywhere with their national
defense propaganda. President Will
son, and Secretaries Daniels and Gar
rison will agree upon a plan that Con
gress will accept. The program is to
be the sane, reasonable and practi-
cable.
Lessons From War.
There is some danger Of ongreS
making a false step. Naval experts
who have made a life time study of
navies fear that the spectacular per-
formances and successes of the subma-
rine in the European war will u
congressman to appropriate funds for
a disGrsoQe-iOnate navy. There is con-
G4ooFA6ae doubt in the minds of those
who nave watched the real value of
the submarine attacks of the German
navy, which have attracted SO much
attention in his country. Every feat
of a submarine in the European war
has been given widespread notoriety,
and the little submarine is considered
by some a first line weapo of defense,
while the battleship or d~readnought
is thought to be obsolete. In the pub
lie statements of a number of Con
gressrnen this feeling has been re-
fected, and government officials are
worried lest it be put into legislation.
o c
The President, Secretary Daniels
and Navy officers who have the future
of the Navy at heart will recommend
a balanced Navy. Officers with year:
of training believe it would be {
great mistake to change the naval pro
pram SO as to provide q great numbeI
of submarines, to the neglect of large
effective battleshipS.
For the country to confine it's nava
program to the construction of sub
marines would be nothing short O
suicidal" declared q naval officer i
discussing the question of national de
Tense. ITO curtail our battleship pre-
gram in any way because of the sue
cess of the submarine would be foil,
The European war has show that tn
submarine is a weapon that must b
~reckoned with. There is no doubt ths
we must have more submarines. BIZ
they are purely supplemental weaI
Ons. and the big first line ship, wit
its quota of fast smaller ships to PR
tect it, is the prime essential Of al
~eu-balanc navy.
THE submarine is a weapon
stealth and opportunity. 1t must en-
ploy the one, having first waited f
the other. It's only effective method
warfare is surprise. The present w;
has demonstrated fully that, with d,
precautionary measures against tt
surprise, the effectiveness of subm
rine attack can be greatly reduced
Britains Big Fleet.
The fact that the powerful Br
ish fleet is still free to roam the Sc
and to convoy vast forces of troo
from all parts of the world, despite t
activity Of German submarines.
proof of this. When British warshi
are bottled up in harbor, while G.
man warships roam the seas, WIZ
British and allied merchantmen {
driven from the seas, while Germ
merchantmen transport munitions a
foodstuffs at will; when Germany
able to transport troops and flank
forces attacking at the Dardane
and when all Of these changes ST
have been accomplished by success
submarine attacks upon British W
ships then 1T will be time to think
our d~readnoughts and bu
ing nothing but submarines.
In the event Of an attack upon