El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-03
SAYSU. s. NAVY IS
. IN POOR SHAPE
Former Secretary Geo. Won
L. Meyer Assails Secre-
tary Daniels's Claim.


Boston. Mass, May S.-Former secre-
tary Of the navy George Won L. Meyer
made public last night a statement re-
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 score
tary Daniels's discussion Of this sub
jet leaves much to be desired in the
way of information The statement
follows:
The secretary neglects to state. when
he refers to the last two years of the
Taft administration, that the house of
representatives, which originates ap-
preparations, was in control Of the
Democrats; that they went into caucus
and voted no battleships.' 1t was on
the issue that no party could afford TO
caucus on patriotism, placed before the
people by some Of the leading papers at
my request, that We broke the caucus
and obtained, very ErudSingly from the
Democrats, one battleship for each Of
the remaining two years.
Sale of Two BattIeShfpS
THE war and the campaign of edu-
cation on national defence has influ-
enced congress in making more liberal
appropriations, but the third battleship
Mr.. Daniels obtained was made posi-
sissippi TO Greece, using the fund de-
rived from this transaction for an ad-
ditional dreadnaught But the Idaho
and Mississippi were both modern
ships, built in 1904, and, while presi-
dent Wilson's sale was a good business
transaction, ii will not. apparently, in
crease our tonnage. It should also be
noted that the Indiana. Massachusetts,
and Oregon can no longer be included
in our tonnage list: that the Iowa,
rnrl=- TrrH
reach their age limit in 1916. while the
Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio. Maine and
Missouri are due for replacement by
1920, as battleships become obsolete in
20 years
Going Backwards.
at is obvious, therefore, that a pol
icy pursued according to this years
program of two battleships with GER
tain auxiliaries, no scout cruisers and
no battle cruisers, will lead nowhere il
il is the real purpose of the nation to
have an adequate navy. for we are not
even following a program Of new con-
struction intended to replace those yes
sells which have been or will soon be
condemned because unfit for service on
account Of age
Nav Not Fully Equipped.
while, as the secretary has stated,
the navy is today recruited to its maxi
mum strength (Which is due to the
decreased demand for labor in various
:
States), yet the commander in 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 number Of
officers. To put all the ships in com
mission that could be useful in time
Of war, would require Is 900 additional
men
Need Of Fast Cruisers.
'The naval conflicts Of the European
war have emphasized the Importance OF
speed. range and armament The
Bluecher. faster than any Of our ships.
was destroyed because she was slower
than any Of the other ships in the con-
flict. Yet we are building no fast cruis-
ers or battle cruisers. The secretary,
in his enthusiasm over our Il inch
guns. which he says viii shoot farther.
shoot straighter and hit harder than
any naval gun now in use. OverloOks
the fact that Japan has in commission
and building eight naval ships with
inch guns probably as good as our Il
inch guns. and that England has the
Queen Elizabeth in commission with
IS inch guns, a battleship Of over z4-gU0
tons. with a speed Of % knots, and nine
other capital ships building with 10
inch guns.
Air Craft and Submarines.
1.-THE war has demonstrated the need
and value Of air craft The general
board recommended the appropriation
Of $1,000 900, but only one fifth Of the
amount was obtained
I'm view aof the increasing number
Of submarines and the accident in Ha-
waii. there is urgent necessity for test
] ing and Wrecking docks that may be
used for salving submarines OF any