The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-27
Our Navy Must BE Adequate to
the Times.

passed House and Senate left much
10 be desired. chiefly because the new
law. In the judgment Of experts. will
limit our first line Of defence on lind
to the increased regular army. But
consolation can he extracted from the
thought that In the event Of wal large
armies of volunteers could be raised
and trained to give II good account Of
themselves In the field In n compare.
lively brief period.
The navy Is IL true frst line. our
protection, II bulwark. If the navy
Is not adequate to each emergency as
II arises, then the shortcomings Of the
army may have tragic results.
The United States must have a navy
big and strong enough to cope with
the fleet Of Il sea power Of the first
class, whether it comes from the West
or East. To fail to provide such a
navy would be criminal neglect OF the
interests Of the nation. When the
Democrats of the House Naval Com.
mittee elected to disregard the pro.
gramme Of the Secretary OF the Navy.
based upon expert advice. and voted
for immediate new construction Of
fve battle cruisers when two battle.
ships and two battle cruisers were
recommended; for seventeen coast
and three fleet submarines instead Of
for twenty-five and Ave; for ten de.
stroyers instead Of for fifteen. and no
on, 1t was plain that politics had a
stronger hold upon the Democrats Of
the committee than the interests Of
the nation.
Not only was the Administration
programme altered in a compromise
with the little navy" Democrats but
the advice of the naval experts was
deliberately rejected.
Protest, as was inevitable, has come
from a minority Of the House Naval
Committee, and In such n shape that
there will be general regret that the
Republican party, which always
takes n sane view Of naval needs nc.
cording to conditions, Is not In con-
troll of Congress.
The Republicans Of the committee
make the point that the provision for
battle cruisers Is belated and should
not be allowed to interfere with the
construction Of at least two battle
ships as recommended. In fact, the
minority would add one battle cruiser
to the number proposed by the ma
3ority.
AS long ago as 1909 England was
building battle cruisers. In the Spit.
head review of July, 1912, five Of this
d~readnought type were In line. When
war came in August, 1914, ten were
In commission and others were build.
Ing. Germany also had "A squadron,
and Japan had two battle cruisers
and was completing others. In his
last annual report in December, 1912,
Secretary MEYER advocated battle
cruisers for the United States navy.
30 whatever vessels of this type are
now authorized at II late day, battle.
ships should not he neglected. No
other great sea power thinks OF neg.
lecting them.
The minority members take the
Democrats vigorously to task for ig'
noring the lesson of the submarine In
the European war;; for placing nc
time limit on the completion OF ships
to be authorized; for failing to pro
vide a sufficient number OF enlisted
men v e on a peace basis; for penny
wise pound foolish economy In con
nection with the aeronautical corps
and for not giving the navy n coun
ell of national defence.
There Is not n count in this indlct
ment that will not hold. In callin,
for fifty submarines In place o.
twenty voted by the Democrats thu
minority, in III judgment, Is not 90
Ing to nm extreme. In the use o.
undersca boats tho Germans hav,
proved that this type is indlspensa
bio: and It must always he remem
bered that along our extensive dee,