The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-30
WAR WITH VICTOR
 IN EUROPE SEEN
 BY U. s. OFFICIAL
Assistant Secretary of Navy
 Roosevelt Urges Building \ Battle Cruisers.

| -- WaSh1ngtOn, March 3O-Ihe army
 and navy took prominent places yes
 terday in the deliberations of botT i houses of Congress. While Senator 1 Chamberlain, chairman of the Senate committee military affairs, was in troducing his Army Reorganization Bill, which he hopes to substitute ir the Senate for the Hay bill, already passed by the House, the House naval affairs committee was hearing Frank lin. D. Roosevelt. Assistant secretary of the navy, urge the need of timely increases in the navy. When one of the committee Sug- gested to MT. Roosevelt that the pres hent war had not demonstrated the utility of great dreadnoughts and bat tie cruisers, MT. Roosevelt replied:
 'eDreadnougFts have won the great est victory of the war without firing a shot. They have accomplished what they were built to accomplish-keep-
 elf we had enough dreadnoughts we also would win a bloOdless victory in case of war;
 The assistant secretary said he be- lieved that not merely four but eight new capital ships should be authorized this year.
 MT. Roosevelt, careful to explain
 
 views and not speaking for Secretary Daniels, declared that there is at least a, possibility that this country may become involved in war with the vic tor of Europe, and that in a war with a fleet twice as strong as the. Amer ican the Panama Canal and all the overseas possessions would be lost, the coasts blockaded and the country open to invasion.
 MT Roosevelt went on record against exclusive government manufacture of war munitions. He said private man ufacturers should be encouraged to develop a good submarine engine, with government experts .a1so working to that end.
 Establishment of new naval base on Culebra Island, near Porto Rico, rather than at fGuantanamo, Cuba, was said by MT. Roosevelt to be need ed.
 we believe the enemy would prob ably make an initial attack in the West E1dies,'' he declared. we are vulnerable down there to a quick at tack; more so than along the Atlantic coast.''
 MT. Roosevelt asserted that if the European war resulted in a draw much friction in international relations which might affect the United States, would continue.
 Discussing the naval militia, he said farm boys were more easily trained for naval purposes than men with merchant ship experience, and there fore he considered mi1itiamen more valuable than civilian seamen.
 The assistant secretary emphasized the navy's need for battle cruisers Regarding submarines, Mir. Roose- welt admitted the 1,2oO-ton fleet vessel was purely an experiment Recom- mendations of Admiral Grant, com mander of the submarine f1otiI1a, for the 8Oo-ton type. he added, represent ed the general opinion of officers of the service, but not that of the de- partment.
 Senator ChamberIain's speech, in which, he introduced his army bill, was heard by full chamber and crowded galleries. He explained that the bill is complete substitute for the Hay measure, adopted by the final vote on it before the end of the week.
 ''What the peop1eswant now is ac- tion and not discussion,'' he declared.
 The Senate immediately began dis cussion of the bill, and in several hours debate it> became clear that Senator Borah and other Republicans are going to fight the provisions for federalizfng the militia. which Senator Borah denounced as political
 Senator Chamberlain denied the charge that politics had had any part in the biIPs preparation, saying that the Republican members of the com mittee had co-operated effectively in drawing it up-
 Several amendments will be offered on the floor of the Senate, among them one by Senator Kenyon of Iowa. who wishes to abolish various useless and expensive army posts in the Mid- d1e West.
 A bill offered by Senator Smith of South Carolina for an appropriation of $15, 100000 for nitrogen plants to be used in peace time for making fer tilizer and in war time for explosives also may be tackled on as an amend ment to the Army Bill.
 Senator Chamberlain in his speech declared that Congress is to blame for the faulty equipment of the army; for the fact that aerop1anes will not. fly and machine guns will not shoot.
 Perhaps the fault is not entirely with Congress if the aviation service is defective,'' said Senator Thomas. Some investigations about to begin may show ineff1ciency in the aviation corps itseIf.''
 'T hope it. will show something, it may show Congress the importance of this service" said Senator Cham ber-
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