The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-21
ASK CONGRESS TO
PUT NAVY ON WAR
BASIS OF $1,000 men
Wilson and Daniels Urge Pro-
vision for .,.. 600 In
crease.

WANT BATTLESHlPS
ADDED TO PROGRAMS E
WAsifNGTuN, Jun, 20. In view uf the
threatening Mexican situation the Navy
Department has asked Congress TO in
crease the enlisted strength Of the navy
from $4,000 To- 7i.To0 and to authorize
the President n raise this number tc
E1.0oo.
The action wa taken following
conference 81 the White House between
President wilson. Secretary Daniels
Chairman Tillu1n If the Senate Naval
Committee and Senator swanson Sec.
rotary DANCES later sent tho following
letter to senate 1iiiman:
owing 10 the immediate aud uncA.
pccted need for enlisted men ~ keep ~
commission and to pla . IN commission
ships which ATE ord narily kept In re-
serve with reduced crews. and To fully
man all such ships. | recommend that
NlffF We llCtT DpF dAf1 III 'h' N'lHilllA
naval appropriation hill - provision
establishing the enlisted strength ~ III,
navy to 1900 and authorizing the Presi-
dent TO increase the number to $1,000
when in his judgment II may become
ne essary to place the country IN n com
plete stste OF preparedness.
General Boards Figures.
The increase Of 7l.7OO from the 400
aow enlisted is the number recommended
By the General Board as being required
70 fully man all ships ready for service
in 1917 with d minimum number AZ The
shore stations. II has been the policy
for many years to keep ? large number
Of ships in o%rdinar!, or In reserve VIII
reduced crews.
Formerly the number Of men as
signed 90 ships In reserve was - n
81 la per cent Last year ! increased
the number 10 10 per cent In its lGo
annual report the General Board re,om-
Nended that it be Increased TO 80 pei
cent. II their recommendation IL acted
upon. as soon as the number authorized
Is enlisted 1t Will be possible to keer
these ships fully commissioned Later,
when there are nc pressing eAigencies
the older ships could be reduced to 90
per cent crews II advisable and the new
ones coming IN could DO fully com
0issioned.
The large number Of enlisted men
who would come into the service would
when their term OF enlistment expires,
constitute an ideal addition TO our re-
serve-a need long felt, but never yet
provided.
in my report OF last December ]
stated that In addition 20 the number Of
enlisted men asked for at the time II
would be necessary - further increase
the enlistment At the next session OF
Congress. III View of the present neces-
sity for keeping AL ships In active duty
not then foreseeu. ! am asking that the
increase contemplated FOR next year be
authorized in the pending bill and there
fore recommend the addition set forth in
this letter.
PrepartnR for War.
TN addition. upon the outbreak OF
var the navy YOU be greatly expanded
me more mel would be required for
aviation. naval coast defence, patrol
craft and other auxiliary duties OF vari-
Gus kinds, as well as 10 provide for men
under training to replace casualties"
Secretary Daniels also intends TO rec
ommend a provision TO speedily provide
moro officers Of high rank In the nava
force. This will be done hy a system O.
promotion which Is being worked GU,
and will be made public probably by
Thursday.
The President and Mr.. Daniels. in
their conference with Senators T!l!man
and Swanson, also urged the addition Of
one X not two Eup~erdreadnous hts to the
building programme OF the navy. Secre-
tagy Daniels said later that he had 10,
made n specific recommendation, bu,
4 urged the incorporation OF battle
shps in the building programme and
counted on the Senate TO do the res,
Senators Tillman. Swanson and Lodge
have been chosen as a subcommittee 10
consider the naval bill and to report bach
to the full Naval Committee. They
probably will amend the bill as re.
Quested.
It was explained to-day that I'm cas-.
of war with Mexico the navy would b,
called upon to control both coasts ,i
Mexico. and that II was OF paramount
necessity to have the proposed ircrcas :.
IN enlisted strength which would kee,
all ships In commission. The pendin.
laval bill provides for an increase %
o 5000 marines. Secretary Daniel,
deems this sufic!ent for the present. II.
denied a report that the Navy Depart
ment contemplated calling out the Nava'
% "aAll bvNE III uul
IN Mexican waters.
Fear NJ Vera Cruz.
No report had reached the Navy De
partment UP TO a late hour from Eeal
Admiral WInslow concerning the clast
~ MaZatlan, where a launch from In,
gunboat Annapolis exchanged shots witt
Carranzistas. \ request from the Mex
can authorities that no American blu.
Jackets go ashore IN Mexican ports ha
been communicate TO the Navy Depart
ment from Secretary OF State Lansing.
Fear tor the safety OF Americans IA
Vera Cruz and the desire Of many Amer
leans to leave have caused the Navy De
partment TO issue orders for the tran.
port Hancock 10 proceed as speedily a
possible from Sauto Domingo for tina
port. The Hancock can accommodate,
approximately 1000 refugees. The Han
cock lief, the Dominican port yesterda,
and It will take upward 0! three day
Tor the ship 70 reach Vera Cruz. Mean
while the bsttleship Nebraska is at Ia,
Mexican port, assuring protection u
American life and property.
No reports Of disorders or danger Il
Americans Reached the Navy p.part
ment to-day from any OF the Aloxica
ports which are under surveillance h,
United States warships.
rEDA A N n A1Xrn mr.