The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-24
us. NAVY should Be
INF ERROR TO NONE BY
1925, THINKS BOARD
Recommendations of Cen
eral Board Soon to Be
Made Public
WOODS RESIGNATION
is TO BE ACCEPTED
Boards Report Will Recommend That
Navy Be Gradually Increased
Until 1t Has No Superior
in Strength

Washington, December 23.-The report
of the navy general board urging that
the United States navy be placed on
an equality with the strongest afoat by
1925 will be made public by Secretary
Daniels before congressional committee
hearings begin on the administration s
navy plans.
Mr.. Daniels said tonight he was CIV
ing the matter serious thought because
various members of the committee had
said that they would seek it's publica-
ton and also because this report was
mentioned in the letter of res NATION re-
ceived today from Henry A. Wise Wood
of New York, severing his connection
with the recently organized civilian adj
visory board Mr.. Wood said he resigned
to be free to advocate substituting the
general boards policy for what he de-
soribed as the wholly inadequate five-year
$500, coo new construction programme
recommended to Congress by the admin
istration Secretary Daniels will ac-
knowledged Mr.. Woods resignation and
ask the American Society of Aeronauti-
cal Engineers, which selected him for
membership on the advisory board, to
name his successor.
WOODS RESIGNATION
The general board report referred to
by Mr.. Wood was made last July in re-
spcnse to an order of the secretary that
ha o,~1 ton fha
earliest practicable date as to a policy
which should govern the development of
the navy and a building ~-0~;'amme." In
a subsequent report, already made pub
lie, prepared in reply to a request that it
formulate a continuing fve-year build
| ing programme during which time So !.
coo was to be expended for new ships,
the board summarized the policy previ-
ously presented as followsr
The navy of the United States should
ultimately be equal to the most powerful
maintained by any other na4'Nn of the
world 1t should be gradually increa sed
| to this point by such a rate of develop
ment year by year as may be permitted
by the facilities of the country, but the
| limit above defined should be attained not
| later than 1926.
Publication of this report in full is
| the matter Secretary Daniels is co"e.d-
| ering He said today he had determined
| to present it to the committees of Con-
gfess when the hearings begin.
The general boards policy apparo-
contemplates a two-power standard for
| the American navy, in declaring that II
| should equal "the most powerful main
tanned by any other nation in the world,
/ rot later than 1925. The British navy,
now far in advance of that of any other
power in strength, is maintained upon a
policy that it shall at all times equa'
| the navies of any two other ~------ al
| though tacitly. at least, the American
navy has been excluded from that calcu-
| lstion in the past.
DEFENSE PLANS
| While navy officials are unwil--sS tc
discuss the boards statement of policy
| ir advance of its publication, it is ind1-
Gated that the possibility that 80 ~'fed
States might be called upon to meet en-
I emies in both the Atlantic and PACING
oceans simultaneously was considering !,
reaching a conclusion. The first year $
building alone, under the programme II
! is reported would equal the entire fve-
year administration programme in cost
approaching s500,O0000o.
| Secretary Daniels thinks the admins
\ tration's plan of four capital ships the
! first year two dreadnaughts and two
| be tile cruisers would tax the building
| capa city of the nation to the limit rms
was one of the important factors con
| sidered, he said tonight. in arriving al
the figuIes to be presented TO Congress. Al
present only FIVE private yards and one
navy yard are equipped for battleshlr
| construction, although 1t is planned to
edd another navy yard to the list this
year and probably three others in the