Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-12-16

service or not. 1t would depend upon the
patriotic spirit of the employers of the
country whether they made it possible for
the younger men in their employ to re-
spond under favorable conditions or not.
=, LOT one, 40 not doubt the patriotic de.
votion either. of our young men or OF
those who give them employment-those
1or cyhose benefit and protection they
ward to the success of such an experiment
with entire confidence.
Al least so much by way of prepare
less. 49, No' WV Nv
New Naval Plan.
me program which will be laid before
LARRY conceived. 1t involves only a
shortening OF the time within which plans
iong matured shall be carried out; but
gram which has heretofore been only inn
plicit, held in the minds of the commit
tees on naval affairs and disclosed in the
oepates of the two houses, but nowhere
formulated or formally adopted. it seems
TO, me very clear that it will be to the
~aaVantaGe of the country for the con-
sress to adopt a comprehensive plan for
putting the navy upon a final footing OF
strength and efficiency and to press that
pan to completion within the next five
years. We have always looked to the
navy or the country as our first and chief
me OF defense; We have always seen it
TO be our manifest course of prudence to
pc Stfong on the seas. Year by year we
have been creating a navy which now
ranks very high indeed among the navies
OF the maritime nations. We should now
definitely determine how we shall COM
plgte what we have begun, and how soon.
The program to be laid before you con-
TEMPLATES the construction within five
years of 10 b~attlesh.ps, six battle cruisers,
10 scout cruisers, so d~estroyers, Is
fleet submarines, SIS coast submarines,
ao nor,, gugn i6s one hospital ship, two
%anen'" one rep sh1Ds' sh two It fuel Is oil prop shipi
that of this number we SHAH the
first yea provide for the construction
OF two batleships. two battle cruisers,
fleet submarines, % coast submarines,
two sunboats, and one hospital ship; the
second year, two batleships, one scout
cruiser, 10 destroyers. -four fleet subma-
rines, 10 coast submarines, one gunboat,
and one fuel oil ship; the third year. W.
cruisers, five d~estroyers, two fleet sub
Marines, and Is coast submarines; the
fourth year, two ba~ttleships,. two battle
two fleet submarines. Is coast subma-
rines, one ammunition ship, and one fuel
oil ship, and the fifth year, two battle
ships, one battle cruiser, two scout cruis-
10 coast submarines, one gunboat, one am
muntion ship, and one repair ship.
More Men Needed.
The secretary of the navy is asking also
sonnet Of the navy of $500 sailors. $500
apprentice seamen, and 1900 marines. This
increase would be sufficient to care for
in the fiscal year 1917, and also for the
number of men which must be put in
training to man the ships which viii be
sary that the number of midshipmen at
the naval academy at Annapolis should be
increased by at least 300 in order that the
added to; and authority Is asked to APP
point, for engineering duties only. APP
proved graduates OF engineering colleges,
life.
II this full program should be carried
out We should have built or building in
1921, according to the estimates of sur
vival and standards of classification fol-
lowed by the general board of the depart-
ba~ttleships, Of the first line, six battle
cruisers, Is battleships Of the second line.
10 armored cruisers. ID scout cruisers, five
cruisers. 10 third class cruisers, los de-
stroyers, Is fleet submarines, 157 coast
submarines, six monitors. 20 gunboats,
transports, three tenders to torpedo yes
sells, eight vessels of special types, and
two ammunition ships. This would be a
navy fitted to our needs and worthy of
our traditions.
U. S. Merchant Marine.
But armies and instruments of war are
only part of what has to be considered If
we are to consider the supreme matter of
national self-sufficiency and security IN
all it's aspects. There are other grea {
matters which will be thrust upon our at
tention whether we will or not. There is,
for example, a very pressing question of
trade and shipping involved in this great
problem of national adequacy. 1t is neces-
for many weighty reasons of national eff
have a great merchant marine. The great
merchant fleet we once used to make US
rich, that great body of sturdy sailors
M sna vseo 70 @e Garr the our pr Hae and e ofeeyy s fhs
bulWark Of the nation, we have almost
driven out of existence by i~nexcusable
lessly blind and provincial policy. Of So
called economic protection. 1t is high
time we repaired our mistake and resumed
our commercial Independence on the seas.
Why Ships Are Needed.
For 1t is a question of independence If
other nations go to war or seek to ham
per each others commerce, our merchants,
1t seems. are at their mercy, to do with
and use them as they determine. We
hav not ships enough OF cur own. We
cannot handle our own commerce on the
seas. Our independent c.. Is provincial. and
ders. We are not likely to be permitted
to use even the ships of other nations in
rivalry of their own trade. and are with
out means to extend our commerce even
where the doors are wide open and our
goods desired. Such a situation is not to
be endured. 1t is OF capital Importance
iOI Ouly lAdl liz OIllGO States SHOULD
be Its own carrier on the seas and enjoy
the economic Independence which only an
adequate merchant marine would give 1t,
but also that the American hemisphere
as a whole should enjoy a like indepen-
dence and self-efficiency, If it is not to be
drawn into the tangle of European affairs.
Without such independence the whole
question of our political unity and self
determination Is very seriously ciouded
and complicated indeed.
Moreover, we can develop no true or ef-
fective American policy without ships of
our own-not ships of war, but ships Of
peace, carrying goods and carrying much
more; creating friendships and rendering
Indispensable services to all interests IN
this side of the water. They must move
constantly back and forth between the
sympathy. comprehension, confidence, and
mutual dependence in which we wish to
clothe orr policy OF America for Ameri-
cans.
Remove the Obstacles.
The task of building up an adequate
merchant marine for America private cap
ltal must ultimately undertake and
achieve, as 1t has undertaken and achieved
every other like task amongst us In thu
past, with admirable enterprise, intelli-
gence. and vigor; n it seems to nue. a
manifest dictate of wisdom that we should
promptly remove every legal obstacle tina
may stand In the way of this much to be
desired revival of our old in~dependen ce
and should facilitate in every possible
way the building. purchase, and American