The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-09
SEC. DANIELS SEES END OF
COMPETITIVE ARMAMENT
Expects That Pres. Wilson'S Proposal for
the Reduction of Armament Will
Be Accepted By Peace
Conference.

washington, ID. u, Dec. with a
story Of brilliant achievements of the
American navy in the war, Secretary
Daniels couples, in his annual report
made public to-day, an urgent recon-
mendation for continued naval expan.
sion to meet the demands of peace for
newfoundland international work on the
sea.
Through nearly all Of IA printed
pages the secretary tells in brief phrases
of the nayy's part in she war, Of the do
ing of the seemingly Impossible through
teamwork. He speaks of the mighty &C
complishment Of transporting two mil
lion men to France, without the loss of
an eastbound troop ship through enemy
action and he devotes graphic chapter
to the marine brigade, which as all the
world knows blocked the last Prussian
advance on Paris, and started the Ger
man retreat that ended the war.
This reference to the future concludes
the report:
"The day is not far distant when the
world will witness an end of competitive
building between nations of mighty
weapons of war In the peace treaty
there will undoubtedly be Incorporated
President Wilson's proposal for a re-
dpction of armament to the lowest point
consistent with domestic safety ;,
'Navies will still be needed as an in
ternational police force to compel com
plance with the decree of an interna-
tional tribunal which viii be set up to
decide differences between nations. Ma
val vessels will have large peace tasks
of survey and discovery and protection
in addition to police duty of an inter-
national as well as of national char
acter.
'Inasmuch as the United States il the
richest of the great nations and has suf-
fered less in war than any of the allied
powers, it will devolve upon this country
to make contribution to the navy to
preserve the peace of the world com.
mensurate with its wealth, its commerce,
it's growing and expanding merchant
marine, and its leadership in the council
of free people. 1t is, therefore, our duty
now not, indeed to enter upon any
new ambitious naval program, but to 90
forward steadily upon the lines Of naval
increase to which the country committed
itself by the adoption three years ago of
the first far.reaehing constructive naval
program in the history of the republic.
Il have recommended to this Con
gress the adoption Of another three year
program substantially like the one au-
thorized in 1915 But the victory Of the
allies and the United States should and
will | sincerely trust, within few years
make 1t no longer necessary for any ma
ton under whip and spur to burden its
taxpayers to undertake to build, in COM
petitive construction, bigger fighting
ships and more Of them than any other
nation can construct"
Mr.. Daniels shows that the new $780,
100000, three year building program he
has proposed will provide 1876 additional
ships, ten Of them dreadnoughts and six
battle cruisers and the Others to be in
such distribution Of approved types as
the department may deem best.
Taking up his story of the navy and
the war, the secretary declares the
service was ready from stem to stern"
when the United States entered the
conflict From the day when the first
three year program was adopted in 1915,
he adds Congress has given everything
that could be desired to insure the effec-
tiveness of the naval arm"
Teamwork had been the navy's slogan
for five years, and it continued to be the
war motto both at home and abroad The
striking success of the navy is ascribed
to this fact by Mr. Daniels, who con
tinues:
apparently there have been times
when secretary of the navy seemed to
find friction and lack of cooperation
among the officers around him. If that
spirit ever existed in the United States
navy, | can state with confidence and
pride that there is now no vestige Of it,
and / firmly believe, from my expert
ence, not only during the last year, but
during the five years preceding, it will
never return"