St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-08-16
With This Action by House Nation
al Defense Program Is Virtually
COmpleted--PrOvides For Eight
Capital Ships in 1917
74,4OO ENLISTED MEN
Daniels Points Out That 1t Is Largest
Building Authorization Ever Passed
By Any Country and Will Give
the United States Second Larg-
est Navy in the World.

Washington, Aug. 15.-Congress
virtually completed the national de-
tense program tonight by finally ap-
proving the great increases in naval
construction and personnel written
into the naval bill and urgently sup
ported by the administration. The
house accepted the building program
to which it's conferees had refused to
agree by a vote Of 2S3 to 81 with sew
en- not voting. The personnel in
creases on which there also was a
disagreement were approved without
a record vote.
The personnel and construction
sections which already have the ap-
proval of the senate authorize the in
crease in enlisted men 10 74,400 and
the building of 157 war vessels with
in the next three years with four bat
tie cruisers and four battleships in
cIude among ships for 1917. Pre-
viously the house had refused to adopt
the continuous building program, had
authorized only five capital ships and
had provided for personnel of only
$1,000 men. ON several less import
ant sections, including appropriations
for improvement Of navy yards, the
house insisted on it's disagreement to
the senate increases and voted to send
the bill back TO conference for a set
tlement OF these parts. An early
agreement is expected, however.
Sec. Daniels issued a statement to-
night pointing out Lnat the DulI0lns
authorizations in the bill were the
greatest ever passed in any country
and would give the United States in
the opinion of naval authorities, the
,ecOnd largest navy IN tAe world. He
declared the measure SO complete and
nearly perfect that it will stand a
model of all naval bills for future leg
islators.
The defense program, which ap-
proval of the naval bill virtually COM
pletes, has been the most important
achievement of the session and has
involved appropriations aggregating
1861, AIS, 900. In addition to the navy
bill it includes the reorganization of
the regular army and National guard,
bringing the enlisted peace strength
of the country to 10000 men capa-
BILE of expansion to 100000 men in
time of stress, and providing a fed
eralizatio nof the National guard,
which at full strength will be 100000
men.
For maintenance of the reorganized
army and militia, and supplies and
equipment, congress appropriates
$267, 597,O 900. More than $13,0OO,0OO
of this is for development of aeronau-
tics and $11,O0O,0OO for government
plants for the manufacture of armor
plate.
The army bill also carried an ap-
preparation of $20,OOO,OOO for a gov
ernment plant to produce nitrate for
use in manufacturing munitions. Pro-
vision for extension and improvements
Of the coast defenses was made with
an appropriation of $25,74S,O3O, to
provide needed officers for the army
and the navy the personnel of the
naval and military academies were
enlarged, the former to 1,76O and the
latter to 1,152. For the military acad-
emy a special appropriation of ST.
100000 was made, the fund for An
napolis being carried in the naval bill.
Congress also provided for the Gre
alton of a council for national de-
fense composed of cabinet officials and
citizen experts to coordinate the mil
itary industrial and natural resources
Of the country in time of war.