Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-09
Admiral Blue Details Further
Needs Of Country, but Says
Pacific Is Now Safe From
Successful Attack.
PACIFlSTS GIVE WARNING
AGAINST MlLlTARISM
Claim Agitation Is Inspired
by Manufacturers Of NUM-
tons, Who Want to Make
Big Profits,

! tBv hoshiHo JOURNAL sPGcthl LEASED wRel
Washington. Feb. S.--Congress
made progress today on national pre-
parcdness measures.
The senate military committee
closed its hearings on the army bills.
The senate naval committee reported
favorably bin for a government ar
NOR plate factory and recommended
immediate passage of two emergency
navy measures which passed the house
yesterday.
On the house side Of the capital the
naval committee virtually concluded
its examination of Rear Admiral Blue,
chief Of the bureau of navigation,
while the military committee re-
ceived the proposals Of tne American
Red Cross for greater government aid
in Red Cross preparedness plans.
During the day the military COM
mittees of both houses heard delega-
tions Of pacifists who argued against
any army or navy increases.
Says Pacific Is Safe.
The most striking statement
brought out at any of the hearings
was that of Admiral Blue, who de-
clared that the American navy now
was ready to meet any enemy II might
be called upon to encounter in the Pa
cific. He declined to say what steps
had been taken in the last year and
half toward preparing the navy
against emergencies. holding these to
be military secrets.
Captain Padgett supported Admiral
Blue in his determination not to re-
veal departmental secrets, overruling
Representative Britten's attempt to
find out, as he expressed it. whether
the navy is now ready to fight"
Mr.. Britten asserted that the gem
eral board had warned the department
a year ago that it should prepare. and
he wanted to know just what steps
had been taken.
Atlantic Fleet Short.
The examination of Admiral Blue
disclosed the source of the statements
contained in Admiral Fletcher's last
annual report that the Atlantic fleet
was short five thousand men of its
proper complement. Various boards
Of fleet officers determined upon the
number Of men thought necessary for
vessels OF each type year ago, Ad-
mrnl Blue said and these greatly
increased tho number for each ship,
Admiral Fletcher based his state
ment on these figures, he added, and
the shortage under authorized compile.
ments was less than 900. which had
been remedied.
To Standardizc Naval Forces.
Chairman Padgett announced that
the whole subject of the proper mum.
Der of men for any ship was matter
of so much difference OF opinion
among naval officers that Secretary
Daniels had directed a board headed
by Rear Admiral Mayo to standardizc
battle stations on all fighting craft as
means of getting an authoritative
basis for estimates.
Representative Galloway brought out
statements that should the proposed
five-year building program be APP
proved $4,000 additional men and b.
600 additional officers would be nee
essary within eight years. AS it Is
now, Admiral Blue said. the navy will
need 1900 men by 1919 to man ships
already authorized and should have
Is, 900 reserves to provide against cas-
uaities.
He thought the departments plan
will produce that number of reserves
in two or three years is approved by
congress through amendments to the
naval reserve act. There are from
%, 900 to 10000 fully trained men now
in civil life, he added, many of whom
it is hoped to enlist in the reserve.
Admiral Blue will take up the de-
'partments proposal tomorrow, outlin-
ing the amendments desired.
Pacifists Warn Congress.
Paclfists, who said they represented
the farmers, working people and vot-
ing women of the country, today
committees against being stampeded
into what they termed unwarranted
appropriations for military prepared
ness.
An anti-preparcdness committee of
which Lillian D. Wald of New York.
is chairman. introduced itself To the
committees as an organization of
American citizens formed to protest
against a dangerous program of
military and naval expansion. to divert
the public mined from those prepara-
tions for that world peace which Il
might be oiir countrys privilege to jni-
tiate at the close Of the war"
In addition to Miss Wald. oppose
ton to war preparations was voiced
by John f. Lennon. treasurer of the
American Federation Of Labor: James
II. Haurer. president OF the Pennsyl-
vania Federation of Labor; Mrs.
Florence Kelly. Frank Dornblazer, a