New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-22
TiIlman's Demand to
Hasten Work PleaSeS
Defence Advocates.
WILSON'S WARNING
WITHOUT EFFECT
Keels Not Yet Laid for Dread
thoughts Authorized Four
teen Months Ago.
lFrom Tha Trfhuna Bureau. |

Washington, May 2l.-The sharp con-
trast between the lackadaisical any
time -next-year-will-do methods which
have characterized naval construction
under the present Administration, and
which seem to have permeated tho
Democrats on the House Naval Com
mittee, who voted down every speedup
motion made by Republicans on the
committee, and the stirring words Of
Chairman Tillman, Of the Senate Naval
Committee, was much discussed here
to-day.
81 would be willing TO vote $780,
100000. II necessary, to begin at once
and hurriedly, as though we expected
a war Immediately construction of
the necessary ships OF the most i'm
proved types to give US really first
class navy" said Senator Tillman.
"pitchforking," as usual, directly 10 the
point.
That expression "hurredly, as though
we expected war Immediately" caused
profound satisfaction among advocates
Of an adequate navy. The amaZement
which followed the action of Chairman
Padgett Of the House committee and
tho other Democrats in voting down
every motion which might have jolted
the present policy OF delay has not
yet subsidized.
Realizing that fourteen months have
passed since the dreadnoughts 43 and
81 were authorized by Congress, but
that their keels have not yet been laid,
nor is there any prospect of their be
ing laid before some time next fall at
the earliest, those who remembered
President Wilson's words about sparks
flying, and that no one could tell what
an hour would bring forth, are unable
TO understand why the Democrats of
the committee should have refused 10
make any provision whatever which
would force construction OF ships the
committee deems necessary before their
type becomes obsolete.
Il was contended for a while in de-
fence of the policy of delay on the
construction of these two dreadnoughts
that through this delay method Of
torpedo defence was perfected But
what was done along that line was
done many months ago, and it is an
open secret that since the plans for
the ships were given the New York
and Mare Island yards the naval de-
signers have worked out improvements
WHICH bHtg NC tdEti " nave III
corporated in the new ships. Though
the keels will not be laid for six
months yet, however, no step has been
taken to incorporate these latest i'm
provements, because, possibly, of fear
of still further delay.
SO that little is done in these long
delays between the authorization and
the beginning of construction which
would keep the ships authorized from
becoming obsolete. They will not be
first class ships a day longer as the
result of the delay in their being put
into commission. The only thing
gained is that the money is not taken
out of the Treasury quite so quickly,
and the party in power is therefore not
so embarrassed by the swift growth Of
deficit caused by its economic poll
cies. The fact that the ships might at
any moment be needed, according to
the words of the President himself, 10
defend the country is nothing like so
important consideration as this.