Evening star., 1915-05-03
FORMER SECRETARY
0NSTATUSOF NAVY
George Won L. Meyer Reviews
Statement Made by Pres
ent Department Chief.
SAYS HIS OPEN LETTER
LEAVES MUCH TO BE SAID
Reminds Mr.. Daniels House Was
Democratic During Last Half of
Taft Administration

y,
Of the Navy George Won J." M"N"r
made public last night statement rs
viewing the open letter from Secretary
of the Navy Daniels to President Gar
field of Williams College. concerning
the present status of the naval equip
ment of the United States Mr.. Meyer
opens with the statement that Secre-
fary Daniels discussion Of this subject
"1eaves much to be desired In the way
OF Information" The statement fol-
lows:
The Secretary neglects to state,
when he refers to the last two years
of the Taft administration. that the
House OF Representatives. which orig
mates appropria tons was in control OF
the democrats on account of the by
elections-that they went into caucus
and voted no hattleships.' It was or
the issue that no party could afford
to caucus on patriotism. placed before
the people by some OF the leading pa
pers at my request. that we broke the
caucus and obtained, very erudsInsiE,
from the democrats one hattleship for
each of the remaining two years.
The war and the campaign Of edu-
cation on national defense has lnftu-
enced Congress in making more liberal
appropriations, but the third battle
ship Mr.. Daniels obtained was made
possible by the sale of the Idaho and
Mississippi to Greece. using the fund
derived from this transaction for an
additional dreadnaught.
No Increase In Tonnage.
But the Idaho and Mississipri We're
both modern ships. built in 1904. and
while President Wilson's sale was
good business transaction. it viii not,
apparently. increase our tonnage. 1t
should also be noted that the Indiana.
Massachusetts, and Oregon can no long
er be included in our tonnage list; that
the Iowa. kearsage, Kentucky and
Alabama will reach their age limit IN
1916, while the Illinois. Wisconsin,
Maine, Ohio and Missouri are due for
replacement by 1920, as hattleshlps be-
come obsolete in twenty years. 1t is
obvious, therefore, that a policy pur-
sued according to this years program
of two battleships with certain auXil-
faries, no scout cruisers and no battle
cruisers. Will lead nowhere if it IS the
real purpose of the nation to have an
adequate navy. for we are not even fol-
lowing a program of new construction
Intended to replace those vessels which
have been or will soon be condemned
of age.
.@While, as the Secretary has stated,
the navy is today recruited to its maxi
mum strength (Which is due to the de-
creased demand for labor IN various
lines of trade throughout the United
States). yet the chief of
the fleet, in a communication to the
Naval Academy. gives the opinion that
the fleet lacks in its complete equip
ment about 5000 men and a numb of
plrf q i
mission that could be useful in time of
war would require $4,000 additional Il
men and many officers, according to
Admiral Badger in his evidence before
the naval committee this winter: and
Vet in his letter the Secretary assures
the public that the navy in 1915 is
larger, better equipped and in better
condition than in any previous year,
while experts know that this is impos-
sible, since many of the battleshps
have been retained SO long IN Mexico
that feet naneuvering. vital for effi-
cheney, has been terribly hampered and
tnterfered with.
Lesson of European War.
The naval conflicts of the European
war have emphasized the importance of
speed, range and armament. The
Biuecher, faster than any Of our ships.
vas destroyed because she was slower
than any of the other ships in the con
ftct- Yet we are building no fast cruis-
ers or battle cruisers. The Secretary.
IN his enthusiasm over our forteen-
Inch guns, which he says will shoot
farther. shoot straiehter and hit hard
er than any naval gun now In use.
over1ooks the fact that Japan has in
commission and building eight naval
ships with fourteen-inch guns proba b !
as good as our fourfeen-Inch guns. and