New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-23

Pacific and leave the Atlantic unguard-
ed. and that Japan would have the ad-
vantage of acting close 10 her base,
while the United States would have to
fight at arms length.
Declare Boards Plan Weakened.
The last of the criticisms brought out
By the General Boards report is that
the Secretary's revision of the boards
plan has weakened it in several impor-
tant respects. The first of these that
he has changed the programme so as
to delay the completion Of the last
three capital ships by year already
has been explained.
In addition. Mr.. Daniels's changes
call for the spending of SlS.000,O00 less
in the FIVE years. though the total con-
struction he asks is S36,000,000 more
than that allowed by tie board. The
difference lies in the slower construc-
tion Mr.. Daniels wants, leaving a great
er sum to be spent for finishing ships
after the end Of the fve-year period.
The fact that Mr.. Daniels has dis
approved the boards request for a
transport, a submarine tender and two
tenders for destroyers also is vigor-
ously criticised. The navy has ''ways
found it difficult to get from Congress
money for the auXiliaries, without
which the feet is almost helpless. Con-
gress has seemed TO feel much more
interest in the big and spectacular
/ fighters than in the humble machine
shops and supply ships on which the
fighters depend. For the Secretary of
the Navy to join in this attitude is felt
to be a serious blow 10 real defence
plans. His looping off of 100000
from the aviation estimates is felt TO
be equally serious.
The fact that Mr.. Daniels wants to
spend S29,000,000 more for submarines
than the board recommends is believed
10 be due 10 political reasons. There
was big demand for submarines from
many ill-informed persons following
I the spectacular successes of the Ger
man boats last spring and summer.
Many politicians seemed to feel that
the submarine would provide a cut
price defence which would be quite
adequate, and Mr.. Daniels's action is
generally considered an effort to con-
ciliate them.
As to the naval value of this i'm
mense number of submarines, which
/ Mr.. Daniels estimates at 175 in 1922,
the General Board, in to-day's report,
declares that the war shows sit is ap-
parent the submarine Is not an instru-
ment fitted 10 dominate naval warfare"
and that undue weight" has come to
, be attached to 1t in popular opinion.
Personnel Figures Criticised.
Mr.. Daniels's scaling down OF the
boards recommendations as TO per
sonnet also comes in. for attack. The
board has reported that $1,000 men il
the minimum needed for peace pur-
poses and that this should be increased
10 TATTOO Immediately at the outbreak
OF war. Mr.. Daniels asks for 1900
more men instead of the $4,000 needed
20 meet the boards view Of the navy's
needs. and for $500 apprentices, who
cannot become available for active duty
for about a year. The board recon-
mends an increase of 3,400 men in the
marine corps. Mr.. Daniels shades this
TO 800.
One other interesting comparison
between the General Boards views and
those of Mr.. Daniels appears in the
table showing the number Of ships eff
fcient in 1922. Mr. Daniels counts all
/ the battleships which are now extant,
and so allows twenty-five OF the pre-
dreadnought classes. The General
Boards statement that nine of these
ships will be obsolete by that time is
entirely passed over. The board puts
! the available pre-dreadnoughts AT thir-
] teen, the harbor defence bAttleships at
/ three and the "superannuated" pre-
dreadnoughts at nine.