New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-19
DEMAND REAL NAVY,
IS PLEA TO NATION
Congresses Apathy, Secur-
ity League Says, Puts Is
sue in Peoples Hands.
INACTION AN HOURLY
INVITATION TO WAR
General Board Must Have Pub
lies Support Against Legis-
iatOrS' Indifference.

The National Security League, OF
which Joseph H. Choate is houorary
president and Atom b. Parker honor
airy yice-president issued statement
vcsterda. jn answer 20 the spcecn o.
Sccrctar. Daniels Of the Navy a he
ice. dinner Saturday night. The stale
moui ;akes I'D fcuortc o. the General
Board o. the Navy a. authority fog its
contention that the country Is ~ e
.-.'c o. unprcparcd9cfs % defend it.
,Cr Tnc league communication IS,
Dr. part. as follow:
"Wncn il is borne ir mind hat APP
peais for reasonable preparedness
against war have repeatedly failed 10
obtain Congressional action. IT is ap-
parent that there is need Of concerted
movement 10 bring 70 Congressmen u
realization % the public demand. In
the meantime. however. there 3. an
urgent need Of bringing public support
20 IN" programme FOR g better and
bigger nay which has been given 'te
Official Enforcement O Sccretars Dan
icle. I'm particular. a. tns tine. Tho
o-licors Of Inc league desire 20 cal
public attention to the reports 81 the
General Board Of the Navy, especially
I'd regard 20 the question Of naval
policy. On page 81 o. the annual re
port o. TIA" Nav Department for 1918
will 90 found statement Of the presi-
dcnt % the General Board.
No Naval Policy.
The absence Of sny definite naval
policy on our part. except IN the Cen
eral Board the report says. and the
fgr I. L., 4 J.
tEc executive government 10 recognize
'hc necessity for such q policy. has al
ready placed US i'm position OF IN
fcriority which may lead TO war. This
inioriorit, Is progressive. and Tiil cor
time 10 increase Until INC necessity for
q definite policy is recognized ana that
policy put into operation
Reports Of 1917 show that We are
deficient ten battlcshiDs. that so far
TO provision al all has been made for
any fast modern battle cruisers, that
there exists shortage Of 203 line
officers. required 20 olace IN full com
mission all vessels Of the navy ser
vlccable for Var purposes, and an act
-.al shortage of men 90 man all vessel
cry ceable Tor var purposes % 1850
men. An immediate increase OF 5000
enlisted men as "a minimum iG needed
fo maH properly tho yes selS already on
.hc may register. The cruising and
.cJuting clcmer; Of the fleet has been
Hcglcc.ed H. recent year,. and no
scouts nave been provided for since
ip0t.
| :. Aeroplanes Worthless.
The total number of aircraft Of any
kind owned by the navy consists Of
Twelve aeroplanes, not moro than two
cr which aye Of the same : ne. and ell
reported to have too little speed aad
carrying capacity for service work.
The navy is very deficient in gunboats.
Though the navy list gives thirty
names under gunboats, only very
limited number Of these thirty are in
condition to be available for service.
Some arc old boats OF little
value. taken over from Spain, Of from
900 &c $50 tons or less OF the others
no gurboats have been author
ized since 1902.
"To overcome defects in the service.
20 bring public support 10 the recon-
menGations of the General Board
that. in brief. is the purpose Of the
National Security League. and upon
this platform it appeals to-day for pub
lie support
"The President of the United States
reflects the popular view when he
states the people are opposed to any
form of rnilitarism. The people wise
~ arc for peace. but they demand rea-
eonable insurance against possible at
tcmpts to destroy our Great coast
cities. No one to-day will give bonds
in substantial sum that the attempt
viii never be made