The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-13
FIVE YEAR BUILDING PROGRAM
TOR navy URGED BY SEC. DANIELS

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sorely wanting ships and munitions IL
suddenly needed.
The secretary comments at length
on the need Of battle cruisers OF the
proposed IS knot type. The events OF
the European war are recounted to
show the part these craftthaye. played
and the reasons for including six OF
them in the building program. AS
to the battleships OF the future, the
secretary says the suggested vessels
are of much greater displacement aud
heavier armament than anything
heretofore contemplated for any navy.
The department is now discussing
plans for ships Of $4,000 tons anu
armed with 16.inchf OF perhaps IL,
inch guns. The secretary says the
plan has not been approved, but his
estimates are based on ships to cost.
s1S,000,000 each which would allow
for the increased size.
Secretary Daniels takes another rad.
ical step in his report in urging that
the present system Of promotion of
officers by seniority be abandoned in
favor Of promotion by selection. He
goes at length into the results of the
seniority system to find that 1t pro.
duces "stagnation in the lower grades,
arrival at command rank late In life
and fleeing passage through COM
mand and flag grades, combined with
absolute lack OF professional incen-
tive throughout all grades" Officers
now hold the grade Of captain for
an average OF two years, he says, and
are rear admirals for only six months
before retirement for age overtakes
them. About 1000 officers, he states,
must pass through the grades Of cap
tain and rear admiral in the next forty
years under the present plan:
Turning to the problem Of finding
adequate auxiliary ships for the navy
in war time, the secretary says he
has not included any vessels in his
building program except those which
must be used constantly for the navy,
in peace or war. On a war basis, he
adds, the navy would need 400 add.
tional ships or tonnage OF 1,172,000
to carry fuel and supplies and do
other auxiliary work. About 100000
for this work could be drawn from
the present merchant marines, he
says, but some method must be found
to supply the rest.
THE solution for the Government"
the report continues, "is to construct,
from time to time, sufficient and
suitable auxiliary fleet, p1oportioned
to. the needs of the Navy, and to have
such auxiliaries operated in commerce
during peace times In such way as
will preserve them and train the es.
sential naval reserve OF men, and
while doing this relieve the Govern
ment Of the burden Of cost Of mainte-
nance through the income or earnings
OF the vessels employed in commerce.
Such a policy would give to the Navy,
without cost for its operation during
peace, a perfect auxiliary. OF course
these ships should be built upon Navy
plans and manned by American citi.
zens trained under Navy regulations,
which would make them efficient In
time of war"
j. In recommending again the con.
struction Of government armor-
plate factory and also urging that n
projectiic factory be added TO the
Nays equipment and that every
Navy yard be equipped for construc-
ton as well as repair work Secretary
Daniels again lays stress on his the.
roy that the Government should be
able to build any part OF the equip.
ment needed for the Navy from bat.
tleships to aeroplane motors in order
that true competition Of private bid.
ders for government contracts may
be obtained together with an actual
knowledge of what the cost of con-
struction should be.