Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-13
WILSON INSISTS
ON PROMPT ACTION
Urges on House That Jamestown
Exposition Site Be Sc
cured at Once.
REPORT FINALLY ADOPTED
Probable That Naval Base Meas
ure Will Be Sent to White
House To-Day.
REPORT FINALLY ADOPTED
rBy Associated prcss1


delaying final passage Of the s32sl.-
"o0. 900 war budget bill. and tho meas
ur" probably will be sent 80 him to-
morrow for his signature.
In letter to Chairman Padgc;t. Of
[ the House Naval Affairs Committee
the President transmitted and un-
qualifedly indorsed communication
from Secretary Daniels enpha sizing
the necessity of naval base on
Hampton Roads. Soon afterwards the
House adopted a conference report on
4 the budget measure. wiki "A modifica-
/ tion o: tho section in dispute pro-
! vidinE for the acquisition Of tho old
jamestown Exposition site for the
naval station. The Senate is expected
/ to concur Tomorrow
/ PROVISION HAS KEPT
BILL ~ CONFERENCE
/ Tho exposition site provision has kept
/ tn" bill in conference for week all
. Of the other great appropriations ear
! ricd having been agreed upon. The
House objected 10 the price Of
I Sl.i0o 600 fined for the property as
"xorhitant. and there was talk on tho
. floor OF graft. The modification writ
( ten into tho bill to-day provides that
/ the President shall take over the site
at price satisfactory to him. not to
/ exceed sl.2cO,ooO.
! Enactment Of tho bill will relieve
the War Department Of serious en-
/ barrassment. Because of the delay
! bills of contractors furnishing sup
plies for tho war army have gone un-
/ paid. and some Of the concerns are
said to b" on the verge Of bankruptcy
as tho result
/ In his letter to-day Secretary Daniels
D Il
7 portant strategic point on the Atlantic
/ coast. was the only place where a
naval base of 1000 acres could he ac-
/ quired incxrcnsively. He said the
! tract was urgently needed, so that a
/ training station might he set up to
{ take care OF recruits who now arc
! being kent at home because the navy
| has nowhere TO put them.
( While the House was considering
the conference report. the President
| hurried letter to Speaker Clark ap-
! proving tho letter from Sccetary
! Daniels
! Il am sending YOU this letter from
| tho Secretary of the Navy" wrote the
! President. and have taken the liberty
/ Of handing Mr. Pad-ett chairman of
/ the Naval Affairs Committee. a letter
which have asked him to communi-
cat" 10 the House, expressing my con-
/ viction of the absolute necessity of
tn" action recommended by the secrc-
! tary."
Secretary Daniels wrote the House
that the base. lin view of the great
expanse Of the navy and its larger
needs. has become an urgent military
necessity"
inc PRESIDENT indorsed this letter
Approved as Immediate necessity.
/ Woodrow Wilson"
Secretary Daniels quoted from, r,yv
/ yard boards To bear out his statement
( as To the necessity of immediately ac-
/ curing base on Hampton Roads
/ lie quoted SurEeon-Ciencral Rraisted as
/ emphasizing the danger OF ovcrcrowd-
/ ing which the large number of recruits
. has necessitated since the declaration
! OF war The chief of naval operations
also approved the base Secretary
Daniels said that the $4,000 900 pur-
! chase price was not excessive; that the
/ chief value of the property is its
/ riparian rights. and that he would not
! nave recommended il '.if il had not
! been possible for us to connect the
/ whole property by piers with "A forty
I foot channel" He said that wbil,.
/ there are i"% acres in the site. il would
! be easy 10 hli the shallow waters ad-
7 joining the jamestown Exposition tract
I so as To ineNpensively acquire a naval
| base OF | 900 acres
ONLY NAVY IN WORLD
LACKING IMPORTANT BASE
lie SAID he knew of no other place
on the Atlantic coast where that would
I be possible. and that the American navy
/ Is the only one in the world that lacks
| an important naval base He said that
/ Hampton Roads constitutes the most
strategic place on the Atlantic, and the
! tract suggested is Immediately avail
ahie Tor larger number of men than
can be secured elsewhere
we nave largely increased facilities
at Chicago. Newport Mare Island
| l'uEet Sound. Charleston. Pensacola and
/ san DieSo: have utilized large build
| ingS AT Boston. New York and Phila-
delphia, ana have made temporary adj
! ditions TO buildings at other points
/ ana Still we are compelled to direct
| young men anxious to come into the
navy and needed to remain at home
! until we can make proper arrange
ments for their care"
! President Wilson, in his letter to
Chairman Padgctt. of the Naval Com
! mittcc, wrote: Il understand that The
| House Will to-day be considering the
proposition for establishment of a
naval base. ] take the liberty of avail
ing myself OF this opportunity to ask
| you To say to the House how essentiol
! IL seems TO me that n naval base and
| training station should he established.
and established at the earliest possible
| day. at Hampton Roads.
Il have considered this matter from
great many points Of view, and am
more and more impressed with the i'm
mediate necessity for such a training
| station. If II cannot be had, and had
promptly. tho most serious cmbarrass-
ments will ensuc. sincerely hope that
| ii will be the wish OF the House TO
take the necessary steps for it's estab-
! lishment.'