Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-12
US. TO FULFILL.
Big NAVY PLANS
Daniels to Urge American
Sea Force to Equal
Any in World
PEACE DEMANDS SHIPS
League of Nations Idea In
cludes Joint Fleet on
Defense Basis
By CLINTON W. GILBERT


Stdh torrc9p0Hd"l' Er,aia0 pubic LcJg,r
'opLftgNh i9i>, by Public L,dOCr 20.
Washington, Nov. -.
Secretary Dauiels VIII go before
Congress in December to urge the
large naval estimates which the Navy
Department prepared for the purpose
OF carrying on the war. The coming
OF peace will i'm no way affect the
country's naval program This pro.
gram provides for what Is believed To-
be navy equal tu the biggest navy
IN the world. Figures are impossible
10 OBTAIN which throw light ON Brit
lsh naval expansion during the war,
and the plans of our Navy Depart.
ment are still kept secret. But il is
known that the Navy Departments
ideal is navy as big az any in the
world. And the estimates which will
be urged upon Congress provide for
such a navy.
This intention Of Secretary Daniels
is important as illuminating the peace
which it IL proposed to make at the
coming conference. Disarmament is
10 he ono of the aims of the League
Of Nations. but apparently disarma.
ment will apply with greater force
to armies than to navies. The Brit.
ment rather than the German conteu-
tiou, will prevail
Coast Demands Big Navy
one reason given for the building Of
"A large navy by this country Is that
this country, because of its long coast
line, will have to make IA large con-
tribution To the navy OF the League
OF Nations Apparently, the interna-
tional government, if Mr.. Wilson's
plans are accepted at the coming
peace conference. will have its own
armed forces, which viii consist of
contributions from the member pow
ers. Instead OF the leagues being able
To call upon the various member pow
ers 70 use their forces to carry into
effect its orders II will have lis own
forces. just as the Federal Govern
meut of the United states has it's own
army instead Of being able merely to
call upon the states to supply militia.
Besides having TO make a large cor
tribntiOn to the naval forces of the
League OF Nations. the United States
will require a large navy FOR its own
defense. Here again the length of its
cOastline will be "a factor in determin-
ing the limit that international or
Eanization puts upon naval develop
ment.
Basis of Defense
This country has one of the long.
est coast lines i'm the world II has.
moreover. TO he ready to defend itself
in two oceans, between which com.
munication is difficult. Apparently,
the naval defeuses which "A power
may maintain will be related TO the
task OF self-defense and on that basis
England. with her scattered colonies,
and the United States. with her long
divided coast line and distant posses
sions, will have the two greatest
naVies in the world
The argument for not disaImlng on
sea to the same extent as on land rests
upon the relative difficulty Of creating
a navy. An army as England and this
country have demonstrated in this war
can be improvised in a few months
To build a navy requires years. There
fore. unless considerable navles are
maintained the Powers (which must,
from their position, depend upon sea
protection. would he placed at relative
disadvantage if navies were greatly re-
stricted by International arrangement
Al any rate, il is plain, from the plans
which Secretary Daniels is making, that
naval disarmament following peace Will
not be extensive.
And the reason being urged now for
the maintenance of large naval forces,
especially by the League Of Nations, Is
the chaotic situation In Europe, Presi-
dent Wilson's speech yesterday voiced
the very real anxiety that is felt here
and IN England and France over The revO-
lutiCuary forces that have been let loose
in Central Europe Doctor Solf. the
German Foreign Secretarys, appeal for
prompt aid In relieving the distress in
Germany has not vet been received by
the state Department, but when it comes
il will receive prompt attention.
Dealing with revolutionary cXcesses
will be one of the most difficult tasks
before the league Of nations The Allies
and this Government will have the mill
taIy and naval forces available to sup
press disorder But the use Of force will
he dangerous. Social revolution will
have large sympathy in England. France
and Italy, where among the labor and
Socialist element a repressive policy in
/ Russia has had little support. There is
contagiOn about revolutionary move
ments
Labor Party Grows
The overthrow Of the Kaiser and the
quite general establishment OF republics
+ IN central Europe will strengthen the
British labor party movement While
! the war was on the overthrow Of Lloyd
/ George was impossible. SO natural is
/ the disniclnation to swap horses cross
/ ing a stream. But it is not clear now
/ that the coming parliamentary election
| in England will not bring Henderson
/ into power. Much depends upon the ef-
/ feet upon the mind Of England produced
by the great popular movement in Ger
many.
/ It is plain that Europe, with the de-
I struction Of its three great medieval em-
/ pircs, has entered upon a new era. An
( event greater in Significance than the
/ French Revolution has taken place
| Force il ready TO prevent the coming
/ of chaos, which the Administration here
! genuinely fears. That is what a bis