Evening star., 1917-12-14
SWEEPING INQUIRY
| INTO NAVY PLANNED.
House Committeeman viii
Probe Into All Phases of
Warfare on Seas.
Mr.. DANIELS TO BE CALLED


which the United States Navy has been
conducting the war, with Secretary Dan
iels and all the admirals in active serv-
ice called upon to testify. including Ad-
mirh Mayo, who has been in service on
the other side, is to begin Monday. A
subcommittee of the naval affairs COM
mittee Of the House was appointed for
this purpose in executive session today.
The committee will consist Of Repre-
sentative william B. Oliver Of Ala
bama, chairman: William W. yenable
OF Mississippi, Walter l. Hensley Of
Missouri, John r. Connolly Of KansaA
Fred A. Brttten of Illinois, Frederick
C. Hicks of New York and John A.
Peters of Maine. They have been given
very broad powers to go into every
phase Of the conduct of tho war by the
Navy.
The Investigation will cover not only
the question of whether the naval war
fare has been pushed with sufficient
aggression on the other side. whether
there are sufficient destroyers, but also
the way In which training stations
have been operated. the conduct of
navy yards and tho expenditure Of
tho vast sums OF money.
Navy got $1,6oo.00o 900, and II Is now
asking for another billion dollars
The subcommittee will report back 70
the general committee on naval affairs
Congress and may cover the points In
dispute between the shipping board
and the naval officials. Some members
OF the naval affairs committee feel
that all merchant ships should be under
command OF naval officers.
imn&d1aIGtY
and will be continued during the hoi-
day recess.
Feel That There Has Been Delay.
The committee feels that the United
States Navy has maintained its glori-
Gus record. but the members expect
that they will find some places where
reforms and a more active policy for
efficient work can be ordered. They
feel that there has been some serious
delay Ia construction work, that there
has been an avoidable delay in the
forwarding of supplies and equipment.
The question will be considered
whether there should be a supreme au-
thority to say who should have right
of way in navy yards. and IN TINS con-
neetion the Washington navy yard VIII
be cited as an example of where de-
partmental red tape has worked for IN
efficient service. 1t Is pointed out by
the Navy affairs committee that the
Navy is stocked up with big guns, whlle
the Army is greatly in need or big guns,
and yet the navy yard Is still BUSY
turning out the big guns for the navy.
II is thought probable that the Army
may be given right of way in such IN
stances.
This action by the House committee,
which Is the appropriating side OF Con-
gress. Is expected to remove the neces-
sity for similar investigation which has
been contemplated by the Senate side.
Representative Britten. one OF the
sponsors OF the inquiry, said that u
might be developed that Congress
snsrgy fey sssiFn en
ment to the submarine zone at the earli-
est date possible and, II necessary. to
'abaud0n batt}esilips and heavier con-
strucfibn in order to strike the most
rffectiye blow at Germany's submarine
then that fact should be devolepd in the
investigation.
Merchant Ship Question.
The subcommittee" said Mr.. Brit
ten, probably will call Chairman Hur-
ley of the shipping board and e: F.
Carry, chief of operations OF that
board, in considering the facts In the
controversy between the board and the
Navy Department as to who should
man the merchant ships. There Is a
surplus Of big guns In the Navy, whose
CONSTRUCTION Hi}SHt 10 stoppSo ~ uo0
the machinery to produce the same
things for the Army. Other sugges-
tfons of this sort will be looked into"
Mr.. Britton said that he purposed to
urge creation Of "a supreme council of
defense comprising not exceeding three
men and preferably one man. to handle
the war in America" that man cr men
to be named by the President and to
have arbitrary power to determine
every question so as to avoid issues be-
tween bureaus and particularly such
controversies as have been developed
between the Navy and the shipping
board.