The Washington herald., 1916-05-26
SEVERE ATTACK
ON NAVAL BILL
House Republicans File Scath-
ing Minority Report to Ad-
ministration S Plan.
SAY 1T FALLS SHORT
Wilson Opponets Call Bill Compromise
Between Those Who Wanted
Little or Nothing"

A severe attack upon the administra-
tons naval bill, which Is described as
falling far short Of meeting the demand
for adequate preparedness, is made in
a minority report Of the House Commit
tee on Naval Affairs, submitted yester-
day.
The Republican members assert that
the authorization of five battle cruisers
is sufficient. We therefore recommend" :"
they add, the authorization of two
DreadnOughts and six battle cruisers in
this bill. and feel that anything short
Of this would not be making adequate
preparation for the national defense"
The minority report is submitted by
Representative Butler, OF Pennsylvania
and is signed by all the Republican mem
bers Of the committee.
The building program submitted by
the committee for the increase OF the
for the defense OF the country. 1t is not
the product. in any degree, Of expert
naval opinion and disregards every plan
suggested by naval authorities for the
development of the navy. 1t ignores
the recommendations Of the Secretary
Of the Navy and sets aside expert opin-
ion, as expressed by the General Board
OF the Navy, the chief of operators Of
the navy, the adnirals in command Of
the fleets, and every other naval officer
appearing before the Committee on Naval
Affairs. Apparently the only explana-
ton that can be given for the program
suggested is that it is a compromise be-
tween those who wanted nothing in the
way Of additional naval protection and
those who wanted but little"
After reviewing the naval policies
Of the last four administrations the
report adds:
he
step toward the restoration Of our
navy to second place by the Sixty
fourth Congress, II is our judgme
that we should make up at this ses-
sion for the two Dreadnoughts which
the Sixty-second Congress failed to
provide, and. also. for six battle cruis-
ers which should have been author
ICED heretofore"
Instead Of discontinuing the con-
struction OF Dreadnoughts, we think
It a wiser policy to authorize two or
more at this time, and provide that
they shall be constructed according
to the plans and specifications now
ready for the California and the Ten
nessee. These plans have just been
completed and embody the best
thought and the latest improvements
in naval construction. II this course
is pursued the two dreadnaughts
could be completed as soon as the
California and the Tennessee, erTecting
a saving in time Of at least one year"
Referring to the personnel of the
navy. the report continues:
The minority is strongly impressed
with the urgent necessity OF providing
IN this bill for the full number of men
required for the navy on a peace ba-
sis, and we further believe that the
President should be authorized to en-
list, in his discretion. such additional
men as the needs of the navy may
require, not to exceed the total OF s2,-
762 recommended by the general
board"
The report recommends fifty sub
marines instead of seventeen; $780,
900 instead Of S2,OOO,O0O for aero
nautics; a council of national defense
and insists that construction of new
ships be pushed with all possible
speed.