The Detroit times., 1916-03-08

Increase OF the navy this year than
Is called for by the so-called nve-year
program OF Mr.. Daniels
The five-year program is rnislead-
ing for IL gives a false impression OF
immediate naval increase IL viii be
eight yesrs or more before all the
commission. and because OF the naval
activity OF other nations. IL VIII not
only fall TO reStore our navy TO sec
ond place. but we shall have fallen
today.
We are 10 bzttlcships behind the
general boards program. and the de-
THIS can be accomplished during the
next two years. W the present ad-
ministration will invite the cooper
a,ion Of the great snlpogi1nx .hsS snp1s nrm
be assured OF steady work and fair
treatment. stand ready TO enlarge
their building ways and add to their
III Ia because Great Britain has en-
courazed her great private shipbuild-
ing Arms TO take naval contracts and
has treated them with reasonable
| she possesses such a magnificent
navy. Had II not been for her CO
| operation with the private yards.
Great Britain would be blockaded at
this hour and the allied cause would
have lost In the great war. IL IL
no exaggeration TO say that the prt-
vats shipbuilting nrm, Of Great Bri.
| from disaster.
W. beg 10 ask what has been the
attitude ot the present secretary or
| In this country? Has he been ac-
| tuated by that broad. patriotic and
| unseinsh motive which alone could
secure adequate results? IL has been
| evident from the beginning or his ad-
| mInistration that the secretary or
the navy was under the sinister in
| nuence OF the Bryan regime, which
has been in so many respects detri-
| mental to the country.
| The secretary's antmosity against
/ private yards and private shlpbuild-
ers has been manifest from the nrst
| At a time when every effort should
b. made 70 develop and upbuild our
private shlpbuilding yards the secre-
tary has been manifestfng hostil-
building interests OF the country
| which Ia not In harmony with the de-
| sir. of the people to see our fleets
naval and commercial. extended upon
The ostensibIe reason given for
this policy on the part OF the secre. .
tary IL 10 introduce economies and
to Develop the resources OF the navy
yards There is no reason why our
yards should not be maintained In a
| state or high efficiency. but there ~
| very visible reason why both our pri-
vate yards and the navy yards
should be simultaneously encouraged
in every possible way. and II - only
by such encouragement and support
on the part OF the government that
the desired results may be obtained.
| The secretary's hostility 10 the PR :
| vate firms has led TO an inexcusable
delay In the construction OF two OF
our latest battieships. Nos. ~ and ~.
| which were authorised by congress a
year ago. Tie made II his business
10 fnd fault with the bids OF the pr :
vat. shIpyards, and made this the
excuse for having them built In navy
yards. 90 one ship k TO be built at
the New York yard, when the ways
have been vacated by the California,
now building there. and the other
ship In 20 he built at the Mare Island
yard. San Francisco. after new
| ways has been prepared and the prop
er plant erected there.
| And thus. In spite OF the fact that
the nation IL crying out for the i'm :
| mediate increase OF our navy. Mr.
Daniels delays the construction OF
these ships by good year and
half
Furthermore. although the navy
yard work IL excellent. ~ Ia more