Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-10

, navy and that<the fetish of senior
ity be abandoned, from admiral TO
ensign" He recommends that the Sc
lective system now be extended 10 the
staff as well as the line. He also eX-
presses the conviction that every can
didate for admission to the Naval
Academy should be compelled to serve
a year before the mast as an enlisted
man before entering the school.
| The report declares that the inter
! changes between the naval services of
the Allied powers and the navy nave
been particularly frank and free, !"
adding that this partnership Of demo-
cratic nations will yet ENSURE Il last
ing peace" 1t says that when the call
came, the navy supplied gunners and
| guns for merchant craft without an
! hours delay.
! The report touches on the various
naval conferences attended by Ameri-
| can officers but adds nothing to what
| is known of the questions taken up
or decisions reached. Throughout the
! lengthy document the secretary is
careful to avoid any statement that
might he Of service to an enemy
(, The secretary pays tribute to the
| Marine Corps, which has lived up to
| its best traditions, he says, as Will he
| shown when the war is over. The
marine regiment in France, he says,
will soon be considerably augmented In
/ its service with General Pershing' S
army,
! Development of naval aircraft has
! been remarkable, the secretary says,
| que largely to the success Of the Lib
crty motor.
1T may be stated with confidence"
! he says, that at the present moment
we have an American flying boat act
ually fyino with an American engine
! which is lmeNccllcd by any foreign
craft Of tho type"
/ The secretary disc loses the fact that
American coast patrol stations have
| been authorized abroad and will be in
operation next year. but gives no d.
! tails
/ In conclusion, Mr.. Daniels pictures
! the possibility Of an international navy
! to keep the world peace Such an
agreement cannot be cherished now. he
says, that all the world is at war
| "But If this condition could not he
reached IN time Of peace" he adds.
may we not believe that it will he
/ rible tragedy of war;"
/ Each naya! power should assign
units to tile international force in pro-
portion to its wealth and population.
/ the secretary suggests, adding:
/ TO such police of the sea this
country will be ready TO make fun
| contribution, and to that end the *
! ranson that now crowds all the old
I & nd shinhIIi1linCr MIL
soon place this country in position
| to furnish as many and as powerful
ships as will come from, any other
| country 1t would be a lasting calam-
/ lty if, when this war ends, there should
! linger as q burden upon people, al
ready heavily taxed by war, com
I retitiNe program of costly naval con-
! structl"n. This country will no DOUBT
take its proper place in bringing about
; SUCH provisions in tho peace treaties
as VIII never again conStrain any ma
/ tion TO adapt its naval program to the
! program Of some other nation from
which there il the compelling menace
of possible ana unprovoked attack
Such c"mpulsion is the very negative
! Of natural and orderly naval develop
ment. 1t means the tyranny of a pro-
gram dictated by apprehension rather
than the free choice of a standard 3ug-
gested BY national needs and supported
by national ideals. An international
navy. on the contrary. will make pos
sible such naval development as each
ration deems fitting for its own peo-
pie. 1t will also serve the parliament
OF man by providing a naval force
ample enough 70 give validity TO IN
ternational DEGREES and strong enough
~ Keep ihFlolate the peace of the
world"