New Britain herald., 1916-03-08
CHURCHILL FEARFUL
 OF GERMAN FLEET
Does Not Believe it Will Continue
 to Lie Impotent

London, March S-Winston Spen- cer Churchill, former First Lord of 1 the Admiralty, now a Colonel and fresh from the trenches, sprang back into the parliamentary arena yeste1- day in a daring speech, answering First Lord of the Admiralty A. J. Balfour, who had just presented the ] naval estimates, and declaring that the admiralty lacked driving force, and must be revitalized before it was too late by bringing back Lord Fish CT, former First Sea Lord, to head the admiralty administration.
 Great interest attached to Colonel ChurchilIs re-appearance after period of silence while serving with the army and while the naval policy he had inaugurated at the opening of the war was undergoing consider able change.
 MT. Balfour had just concluded an optimistic statement of the naval outlook, which strongly appealed to the patriotic sentiments of the house of commons. so that Colonel Churc- hills criticisms were at first coldlv received. But he gradually gathered attention and applause until he clos ed amid a scene of much enthusiasm
 Wants Action Or An Explanation.
 T am sorry I must strike a par ring note," he bagan, mot of re- proach, censure, or panic, but of warning. While Jellicoe commands the grand fleet it will manoeuvre in the presence of the enemy with the utmost professional skill. We must not believe that Germany will be content to allow her fleet to lie i'm.
  We must assume that something has happened in the German naval yards and that Germany has completed hei program.
 If ours, too, has not been com- pleted solid reasons must be given 70 justify the postponement and delay There must be no unconscious relax ation of efforts at the admiralty, for if 8 shortage of naval material oc- cure it will give no chance of future recovery"
 Colonel Churchill caused some stir by asking whether the admiralty was Keeping the shipbuiiding program to the time to which he and the pre- vious board had been working. He declared there should be no limit of abor in connection with the British fleet. the vital units of which must be the first charge on British labor 1 resources.
 He said that since he had returned 1 from the front he had received in 1 form ation which was not entirely sat sfying concerning the progress of naval construction. Details must necessarily be avoided, but it could oe said that if every capital ship provided in the naval pro- ram had been completed, the navy would be ready, with an ample mar in of safety. It was within the bower of the admiralty to comple:e his program, but he expressed doubt whether this had been done. Mean while there was an impenetrable veil 1 over the German program
 That is a grave fact" said Col l onel Churchill, flor, while we know l nothing yet, we may be sure tha l something is going on there. That the l German navy, built up by the Kaiser's | greatest efforts, is rem maining idle in the Kie1 Canal without some further effort for it's development is We should. therefore, assume that Germany has completed her naval program, and if ours has not been completed then some weigh ty reasons should be given"