The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-10-22
WILSON
OUR NAVY DROPS
TO FIFTH PLACE
When Wilson Went into the
White House, Sea Forces
Had Second Rank.

WASHINGTON. d. C.. Oct. 2l.-
Democratic control in the administra-
tive and Legislative branches OF the
government has set back the Amcri-
can navy from the second TO fourth. il
not fifth, world rank.
Now the Wilson administration.
yielding to political expediency in the
midst OF the presidents campaign for
reelection, has reluctantly assented to
building program designed to I'M
do the injurious work OF the DEM
ocrats and to restore the navy to sec
ond place. II that is possible in view
Of the tremendous building activity
Of the other great powers.
The great development OF the navy
which followed the Spanish war and
the assumption by the United States
Of place in international affairs
swept the American sea forces up TO
position next to Great Britain. This
position was held until the year after
the Democratic party gained the as
cendanCy in Congress.
Germany First 10 Pass Us.
Two years later Germany had passed
the United States in tonnage and men
alike and France had seized the third
place in men. The following year
France took third place in ships as
well. This relative position with the
the United States in fourth place. is
held today unless America has been
surpassed by Japan, which at the out
break OF the war was 100000 tons be-
hind the United States, hut is known
TO have undertaken building pro-
gram Of g-ea: proportions.
This was the ranking OF the world
navies given in the last Republican
naval affairs committee in 1911:
Great Britain. 1.S59,l6s tons. and
1852 men; United States. III roe
tons. and 60,l60 men: Germany, $685.
O35 tons, and 1855 men; aud France,
556,3O6 tons and $685. men.
The Figures In 1913,
Here are the figures presented by
the Democratic naval affairs committee
in 1913, after two years Of Democrat
ic control
Great Britain, 1.97S.2l2 tons, and
1922 men; Germany. SS7.gS2 tons.
and 6S,l22 men; United States, 7T3lO7
tons, and 59.56T men: and France
63O,769 tons and 6O.1SS men
The secrecy OF war plans prevents
general knowledge Of the building
| plans Of the nations at war. but The
following figures compiled by navy
authorities show the warship tonnage
built and building OF the leading now.
ers on the day the conflict started in
August. 1914.
Great Britain. 2,714lO6; Germany
l.3o6,577; France. S99.gl5: Tinted
States, S94,SS9; Japan. G9g9l6: Rus.
STA. 67s.SlS.
Sixth in Recent Activity.
OF the six the United States has
| started construction on the smallest
number OF new ships since the wal
opened, For the majority Of the new
American ships now authorized III,
keels are not yet laid.
Here battleship construction takes
more than three years, often much
more. In England, it takes two wears
and a half, Great Britain following
the policy Of utilizing private wards
10 the fullest extent, whereas the VII.
! son administration has adopted thr
| policy Of having everything possible
/ done in the navy yards. regardless ri
4 the vast amount OF work still uncom.
\ pleted therein. British warship or.
ders since the war began are said r.
approximate in tonnage the total Of
serviceable ships in the American
navy.
France completed 1--WE battleships in
1915. and at that time had nine more
under construction. Japan embarked
on three-year program Of eight bat.
tleshtps and eight battle cruisers.
Thuarted by Democrats.
Yet the Democratic party and Presi
dent Wilson continued TO thwar
American naval development through
nearly two full years Of the great war
until the persistent demand for an AIDE
quate navy forced the pacast admins
tration with election at hand, to shou
for preparedness. Had the Demo
Gratis yielded earlier, the countr,
would not have to wait four years
more for the ships now grudsingl,
voted BY the administration.
In the three years before the wa
England put in service eighteen capi
tai ships, Germany thirteen, anC
France ten. The United States, witt