The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-05-19
RODERICk 0 MATHESOE EDITOR
"A Welcome Change

VI
and confused progress. Hardly more than year
ago the President ridiculing men like Con.
gresham Gardner who spoke out for a program
reasonably suited to the most pressing needs of
the hour, ard encouraging the absurd and
dangerous notion that the navy was all right,
that it would give good account OF itself, that
it was stronger than the German navy. But a
few months ago his eyes apparently had been
opened at last to the real situation, for then The
said, And do you think that a navy that'ranks
only fourth in the world is enough to defend the
coasts and make secure, the territory of great
Sentiment like this" And he added: The NAVY
of the United States must now be as rapidly as
possible brought to a state Of efficiency aud OF
Numerical strength which will make it practically
in1pregnable to the navies of the world
=. Last July the general board, the brains Of the
navy, was asked specifically to formulate in the
most definite terms plan for the development
of the navy, and the general board replied: The
navy OF the United States should ultimately be
equal to the most powerful maintained by any
other nation of the world" 1t has taken the Pres
ident the better part OF a year to come to an
agreement with the men who ought to be his tech
nical advisers in this all-important matter, but
whose mature opinion he permitted Secretary Dan
ies to overrue. The facts clear to every
one connected with the administration of the navy
.
Dur own slackness and the energy Of other powers
had placed the American navy infinitely below
the German in battle power and probably below
the French and Japanese navies also. On the Duh
sr hand the President was acutey aware of the
dangers OF our diplomatic situation and was doing
much to aggravate them by the just severity of
the tone of his warnings Yet during all this
period his attitude, if not always his words, dis
heartened all but the most earnest advocates OF
larger navy and gave courage to the mean
spirited, and in some cases, firmly believe,
purchased agitation against naval increase. This
is what we cannot understand about the President:
that while he has boldly challenged at least one
of the powers in what is known fighting langt-
age the world oyer he has at the same time Jsft
the duty of preparing to support this challenge
to Secretary Daniels and the little clique surround
ing him; and has permitted them to intrigue " it'll
the professional pacihsts issue false and msleah-
ing statements concerning the strength OF the
navy, conceal its fatal defects, suppress wholesome
constructive criticism, punish with paltry vindic
tiveness men bold enough to publish their differen
ces with the cabal, and, by playing the cheapest
kind of cheap politics the navy yards and prac
tisirg the meddesome and expensive Economies
of men without business training, so postpone
building that when ship is authorized it is a
safe bet that the keel will not be laid within ayear
81 But the change in the Presidents position is
welcome and its effect is seen in congress. 1T is
reported that the house naval committee will re-
port a bill going far beyond Mr.. Daniels weak
recommendations, and will propose the immediate
building of at least six capital ships, including a
lair proportion of battle cruisers This is encour-
aging If not entirely satisfying. But the country
would be relieved if it knew for certain that such
program, or one even more thorough, If passed
would be carried out vigorously and skilltully by
the department. As naval authorities have point
ed out time and again, we not only need great
navy; we need it just as soon as American brains
money, and material can put it together If the
blow of foreign war falls on us, it will fall sud
denly, without warning. How is the navy depart
ment at present carrying out the recommendation
that we proceed as rapidly possible" to prepare
for the day of reckoning?
One would think that this meant using every
available private we'll as public agency for car
rying out the plans of the government, cooperat
ing with the skilled shipbuders, metallurgists
ordnance and armament makers, appealing to the
patriotism and getting all possible help from them
Yet Mr.. Daniels, far from seeking the assistance
of private manufacturers, has deliberately estrang
ed them, rejected their cooperation, and cast re
Elections or their honesty and patriotism. Wha
is the consequence of this policy? 1t was brough
out at the hearing before the house committee tina
Of eight submarines authorized by congress tn
building of one has not been started, and of thu
Dther seven only two are half finished Of thre,
battleships, one building in navy yard was IS.
per cent finished on March ! a second building
at a private yard, was 267 per cent completed;
third, building at private yard was 50z per cen
completed. We could go on and multiply itstan
ces without end of the consequences OF the, dila
tory, unbusinesske, suspicious course of the nav
department at a time when every other consider
stion should be thrown to the winds in the inter
est of prompt intelligent, and self-effacing wor