Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-13

WASHINGTON. Dec. 12--"our navy is
strong hut It must re stronger" declareR
the SECRETARY of t'c Navy. Josephus Dan.
iels. ir his annual report to the President,
recommending building plan involving
the expenditure of $500, 49,, 2li within the
next five vca~s
President wilson already has given his
approved tr the program outlined by Sec
retary Daniels. and it is to be made an
Administration measure in Congress.
planning today what we will negin to-
morrow" says Secretary Daniels, lin or
der 10 have 1t completed in the future
IL the essence of all true preparedness.
Nothing Is to be gained by the expendi-
ture of millions of dollars in the haste
OF threatened war or in the panic of ac-
tuai war Less is to be gained for the
proper strengthening of the navy by sud
den fluctuations and unexpected changes
In policy"
TOTAL FOR THE YEAR
The total for naval increase asked for
1917 in this years naval bill Is S95,372 1877,
of which $57, ,003. 900 is to begin vessels to
be authorized SS,OOO,O 600 for reserve of mu-
nitions. S20OO.0O0 for aviation and s2S,369,
127 TO- continuing work on vessels now
under construction or just about to be
begun under previous authorizations.
my recommGpdaton of a five-year pro-
gram" says the Secretary. embraces
the same number as proposed by the Cen
eral Board in the distribution II made in
the five-year program of dreadnoughts.
battle cruisers, scouts and destroyers I
recommend 10 fleet submarines where the
General Board recommends nine. and
recommend 50 coast submarines, as
against 5S recommended by the General
Board For additional reserve amInuni-
ton my recommendation is S25,OOO 900.
whereas the General Board recommends
81. 100000. They recommend something
more for other craft. My total for the
five years is Sn2 4S2,214. The General
Boards total is SisS. 600 n very slight
difference for the five years, though the
boards recommendation for the first year
Is much larger than the departments es-
innate"
PROMOTION BY SELECTION.
Secretary Daniels takes another radical
step in this report IN urging that the pres
ent system of promotion of officers by
seniority be abandoned in favor of pro-
motion by selection.
Turning to the problem of finding ade-
duate auxiliary ships for the navy in
war time. the Secretary says he has not
included any vessels in his building pro-
gram except those which must be used
constantly Tor the navy, IN peace or war.
On a war basis, ne adds, the navy would
need 400 additional ships, or a tonnage of
1. lT2 O0O, to carry fuel and supplies and do
other auxiliary work.
In recommending again the construc-
ton of a Government armor plate fac
tory and also urging that a projectile
factory be added to the navy's equipment
and that every navy yard be equipped
for construction as well as repair work
Secretary Daniels Ggain lays stress on
his theory that the Government should
be able to build any part of the equip
ment reeded for the navy.
WANTS 1850 MORE MEN.
In addition to the foregoing, the report
includes the following recommendations.
An increase OF li,50O men in the en-
listed personnel of the navy and Marine
Corps. an adequate increase of officers
TO be provided by enlarging the force of |
at the Naval Academy by |
admitting TO junior grades and for en- !
cheering duty only graduates of tech |
meal schools and by opening 10 civilian /
aviators the Navy Aviation Corps.
Construction of an adequate research +
"a laboratory for the use OF navy engineer |
ng and scientific bureaus and the board |
II civilian scientists recently created .
under Thomas A. Edison as chairman.
Expenditure of 81 600 TO re-engine the .
North Dakota, the scout
cruiser Salem and the destroyers Henley
md Mayrant
Construction of a drydock at the Nor
'olk yard TO accommodate the largest