The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-29
Our Neglected, MismanaSed Navy
Congressman Gardner Aims Twelve Diquietng ~Torpedoes" at Secretary Of
the Navy Daniels, and Demands That the American Public Be Told the
Truth About Our Inadequate Naval Policy and the Steadily Increasing
lnferioriy of Our Navy in a Real, Unhampered Congressional Investigation.

ITO the question. Are we ready 10 go to war
tomorrow with a hrstclass poWerF' Il will
require a radical optimist TO answer in the
Affirmative"
Secretary Redheld is obviously not the only
radical optimistin the Cabinet.
TORPEDO NO. Il-Admiral Fletcher. com
mander-inehief OF the Atlantic feet. testified
that there is an alarming shortage" OF over
5000 men on the twenty-one battleships under
his command. without reckoning the shortages
in the rest OF the fleet. or the shortages in other
fleets, or in the crews OF vessels laid up in
cold storage" The secretary's logical mind
finds an answer to Fletcher In calling attention
to the fact that there are 5.s2f more men in
the navy than on March /. 1914. II l were a
politician instead OF being a statesman. l might
use that incautious admission by way OF a
frost for Secretary Redheld's ever-howering
prosperity plants which continually bud. but
never bloom. l might go so far as to surmise
that lack OF other employment might have some
bearing on the increase.
TORPEDO NO. IL uhe biggest torpedo Of
am-In 1903 the General Board of the navy.
under orders from President Roosevelt and
Secretary Moody. Investigated the building
programmes and the naval and the political
conditions OF all principal foreign countries.
The General Board also looked over the whole
field OF the international relations Of the
United States. and likewise it considered the
military situations which might possibly de.
Velop In time OF war. In it's report the board
recommended a building programme for our
navy a programme which, in the boards esti-
nation, would be the minimum sufficient FOR
our safety. Our safety against what? Our
safety against the navy Of any nation upon
earth, perhaps you think. BY no means. The
boards plan contemplated a navy sufficient 10
make us safe against the navy OF any nation
ercept Great Britain.
A modest enough programme every sensible
man must admit, Personally ] confess 10 a
hankering for a navy that does not leave us al
the mercy OF the friendliness OF any maritime
nation upon earth, including Great Britain. of
course. the membership OF the General Board
OF the navy has changed every year since 1898
Yet. with unimportant alterations. they stick
10 their guns and still insist that We must have
forty-eight battleships less than twenty years
old II we wish TO be safe against Germany.
furthermore. this building programme OF the
board c~ontemplates 1872 destroyers. a large
number OF cruisers and various other types.
The number OF submarines has not vet been
fixed upon. Admiral Vreeland testified that We
ought TO have 100 submarines for harbor de.
tense alone.
Remember that this programme OF forty.
eight battleships was laid down twelve wears
ago. and then consider this sentence from the
most recent report Of the General Board OF the
Navy:
This shows that We are now deficient ten
battleships. built. building and authorized.
from that contemplated in the 1908 pro.
gramme."
Ten battleships IS a terrific shortage from a
minimum OF forty-eight. To be sure. since this
report was penned, Congress has authorized
two batleships. But they will not be completed
until 1919. Meanwhile the battleship Iowa viii
have passed the fatal twenty-year mark. while
the battleships Kearsarge. Kentucky and
Alabama will be nineteen years old, reckoning
from the age OF completion.
In the matter Of destroyers our shortage is
still more extraordinary. In lieu OF the 1872 de.
stroyers recommended. We have only seventy.
four destrovers. built, building or even author.
lied. The General Board originally recon.
mended forty-eight fast scout cruisers TO act
as the messengers and eyes Of our fleet.
Probably such a large number is unnecessary
in vie Of the development Of other craft. Few
people, however. could consider twenty fast
scout cruisers excessive.
In lieu Of the recommendations % the Gen.
eral Board, Congress. in It's wisdom. has built
just three fast scout cruisers. and they are
only fast 10 a l~ady+ike sea
As 90 the submarines. b. you count the -
90 the bottom Of the sea and an the submarines
which are in the scrap heap. or ought to be In
the scrap heap. and al The submarines that
are now building. We have just hny-nins Of
flcm. and a sorry mass OF insists many Of
them are.
This year Congress adopted tho advice o. the
General Board OF the Navy and provided for
sixteen additional coast submarines and two
ocean going submarines 80 thanks. however.
FOB that sad sea-dog. our optimistic Secretary
rf the Navy. He cut tho General Boards SUBJ
marine commentator in two before he sent
hi. estimate DO Congress. Congress. however
nrmly. but kindly. ignored the Secretary 80
innate. but Ue had an awful row before the
peace protess0rs were beaten.
11 view OF tho fact that 90 is a matter Of
record that Secretary Daniels. iu both bis an
.Ha. sstmatcs. has cut Boo two the building rec
concentrations 81 lhe General Board. t1 those
uf us who know the truth DO ls profoundly 20
tertIng Co observe the Secretary arraycd boz OBJ,
IT, 1915. b. che Star Company Great Britain Rs.