Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-26
Neither SIeighina Nor Wheeling.
CREATION OF COUNCIL
 OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
Advocated by Rear Admiral Austin
 M. Knight.

New York, Jan. 25.--The creation of a council Of national defense for which c bill already is before congress and ! the establishment of q division of strategy and operations in the navy department were advocated by Rear Admiral Austin lI. Knight. president of the naval war college at Newport S. l.. in all address before the Eff l clenCE club ill this city tonight There can be no question that the i eSistlTS organization of the navy de- partment is inadequate and would break down under the strain of war the rear admiral said. A navy has one excuse for existing and only one that 1t should always be ready to strike on the minute and with every element of power concentrated behind it's blow for the defense of the country.
 It IS singular fact that the or Gan1zaLon of the navy 6epartnen takes no account of this relation of the navy to war. War is one thing fc1. Which no arrangement is made There are seven bureaus in the department each with clearly defined duties but in all the elaborate eligSla ton cresf ing these bureaus and defining. their duties there is not a word about the duty CI keeping the navy in readiness for War or prepaTiu" plans for war. or conducting War after it begins There would he q certain element of comedy in this if there were not so mary eIe- ments or possible tragedy.
 This is the last and great defer+ m the efficiency of the navy. It could be remedied by the creation of a di- vision of strategy and operations preferably not co-equal with the pres ent bureaus but superior to them and standing between them and the sec- retary. IL would correspond Gnore or. less closely with the general staff of the army and the first sea lord of the British admiralty. I am not advocat ing q reorganization that would in any Way reduce the authority of the sec retary
 ''The creation of this office wou1d EroEide d policy for the navy instlr Ing unity of effort and shaping plans toward the proper end of all our eff fOFtS-preparedness for war
 We need q policy broader than our naval policy and including it This must be q national policy. dealing with both the army and the navy and bring ing the broadest statesmansfip as well as the highest lI1OwI edge to bear upon the question of national defense. It's enunciation must come from the high est authority in the land, executive and legislative.
 This points to a. council of national defense, for the creation of which d bill is already before congress-. Tn such @ council with the president of the United States at it's head we should have the last word in the CO., ordination of national resources for national defense.
 There is much about the navy that is spIendidly efficient. But as a. whole it is far less efficient than it ought 10 be. We are lacking in that harmonious composition of the fleet which is need ed to give every clement of it the sup port it needs from other clements. We are lacking in absolutely essential fa.- cilities for the care and preservation of our ships and in an efficient or ganization of the personnel.
 I ask you to picture the effect of q condition where a young officer graduating from the navay academy, full Of spirit and enthusiasm. finds