The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-06-12
united STATES IS
NO MORE Sc COND
IN ITS NAVY
IF IT TAKES TWENTY YEARS TO
BUILD A NAVY, THEN THE
UNITED STATES MUST IN
CREASE RIGHT NOW.

Washington, June 11.-That the
United States has lost her position
as the second naval power is the
point made in the leading editorial in
"Sea Power" a brand-new magazine
created in the interest of the Navy
League and off the press today. In
cidentally Sea Power points out the
source of trouble and the remedy.
The editorial is as follows:
"In 1907 the United States stood
next to England in the power of her
navy. In 1914 Germany had deprived
her of any claim whatsoever to that
position.
'Tn the years that interviewed the
United States had, in spite of this
result, spent fifty per cent more on
her navy than had Germany. These
bare figures quite naturally raise a
question in the mind of the taxpayer
which required an answer. He won
ders why he should spend this addi-
tional money and still be outclassed
"The answer which he ordinarily
receives is that the American seaman
is paid wage much higher than is
his fellow in the German navy and
that his subsistence costs much more.
This is admittedly a partial answer,
for it is shown that the United States
spends thirty per cent of her appro-
priations upon its pay roll, while Ger
many spends but twelve per cent.
"When the expenditures of these
two nations are considered merely
from the standpoint of the moneys
used in battleship construction, how
ever, it is shown that the United
States spent larger amounts in that
way between 1907 and 1914 than did
Germany. Despite this fact Germany
outstripped her. 1t is customary to
say in explanation that ships may be
built more cheaply in Germany than
in the United States. AS a matter
of fact, there is little difference in
this cost of construction. The advan-
tage which Germany holds because
of the cheapness of her labor is coun-
terbalanced by Americas use of la
Dor saving devices and by her album
dance Of coal and iron. The same
amount of money properly applied in
America should supply the same mum
Der and quality of fighting ships as
in Germany.
1.-THE fact that it has not done so
is because there is something the
matter with the United States in It's
handling of the navy.
There are many contributing
causes to the failure of America to
produce commendable fighting force
from a given appropriation, but the
great central cause is that she builds
at random and without design. II
requires twenty years to build a fleet
and its proper construction is one OF
the most technical and scientific pieces
| of engineering since the world began
When the United States attempts this
job it proceeds without a plan. Il
employs no architect to design the
structure, it makes no attempt to Wis.
ualize the ultimate product. 1t put.
the task in the hands of a group Of
civilians, members of congressiona
committees. These men, though able
and honest, have had no training fol-
the task in hand, and the personne
of the committee constantly changes
Yet these civilians each year design
an addition to the developing fleet
They state what ships shall be built
and write specifications for them.
''Yet the solution of this condition
from which grows ineficiency anc
the waste of great sums of money
is known to all students Of the situa.
ton and has been applied to the navy
Of every first class nation in the world