Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-16

/ army. adequate to nuke u first limo
anu to give us breathing spell within
which TO organize out Of our magnltl-
would hc sufficient
GEO. Won H. MEYER DECLARES
NAVY Is DllTERIORATIvE
| George Won H. Meyer, Who was Sec
| rotary of the Navy In President Tafts
Cabinet addressing the peace and
preparation conference OF the National
Security League at luncheon to-day,
asserted that the American navy is de-
teriorating. outlined the respects i'm
which he believed such to be the case,
and urged that investigation of the ma
ttonal defense and comprehensive
| plan for the future should be MADE
obligatory upon the next Congress.
Lack of battle cruisers, airships,
armed aeroplancs and men, lack of n
naval reserve of experienced men. lack
of Il comprehensive policy or national
defense. lack Of general public knowl-
edge of the navy's condition. reduction
of compliments of some ships to man
, other and newer ships. and general un-
preparedness on the part OF many bat
tleships and other lighting units were
enumerated as instances of naval in
feriority. Mr.. Meyer said, in part:
"Of the thirty-threc. battlcships. we
have only twcnty-one that are fitted
LOT service WITHOUT long uclaN. f'ur-
thcrmorc. we have about seventy mis-
collancous lighting ships not prepared
for service i'm case Of emergency.
I'VE lack battle cruisers, airships and
armed aeroplanes.
our submarines are In II crippled
condition.
'.rhe complement Of all torpedo de-
stroycrs has been reduced from Is to %
per cent to get men to commission
new boats. This reduction in personnel
Is serious handicap. reduces the cIn-
cheney Of the destroyers. affects con-
tentment and prevents the boat being
kept in good condition.
"'The Atlantic Fleet alone needs 5000
more men.
'yhc reserve fleet at Philadelphia
@as largely depleted In order to get n
crew for the Alabama, when she was
ordered to Hampton Roads to enforce
neutrality.
REVIEW IN NEW YORK
MERELY A PARADE
The review in New York this year
was a poor imitation OF previous re-
Views. in that the reserve fleet was
absent. 1t was mere parade, not a
mobilization. 1t did not Indicate the
true condition Of the navy. because the
people did not know the whole truth.
For lack of men ships are laid up
at navy yards. where they rapidly
dctcrioratc, like Il vacant house. All
small ships and all cruisers now laid
up for lack OF men are needed in
Mexico and elsewhere. and should be
ready for an emergency call to pre-
vent the employment of battlcships at
gunboat duty The complement of en-
listed men at shore stations and train
ing stations has been cut down, with !
n decided loss OF efficiency. and great"
to the discomfort and discomfort OF
the men.
q n ~
and make list of new ships author
lied gives no idea whatever of the true |.
condition or the navy as to it's readi- |
ness for war. ships without men are |
oflittlc use. ana navy without n /
policy and with no we'll cons cred or |
Will only invite a condition of CHAOS |
in event of war.
SECRETARY BLAMED FOR
DEMORALIZED CONDITION |
The statement Of Assistant Score
tary Roosevelt that we need $4,000 !
men Is undoubtedly true. The navy Is |
deteriorating for lack of men. The |,
target practice this last year 6 no bet
ter than II was ten years ago.
Congress is negligent in not having
established national council Of de-
Tense n general staff and an organized
navnl reserve of $4,000 experienced
mon.
I'm calling attention to these defects,
l have not done so for the sake of
criticizing the present head of tho
navy, for although ! feel that he must
be held responsible for the dcmorallIcd
condition of the personnel, and the de-
creased efficiency OF the navy at the
present time, yet the lack of any def
mite naval policy for many years cx-
ccpt in the general board of the navy
and the failure OF the people and Con
Eress 10 recognize the necessity for