Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-31
LIMIT ALL
WARSH|PS
OR BUILD
BIG POWER
Secretary Daniels Tells Com
mittee President Agrees
With This View of Amer
iCa'S Ocean Program.

Washington, Dec. 30.-Unless
league of nations or other tribunal
that will make certain the limitation
of international armament is estab-
lished, the United States must build
the greatest navy in the world, Sec
retary Danields today told the house
naval committee.
at IS my firm conviction" de.
clared the secretary, that if the con.
ference at Versailles does not re.
suit in a general agreement to put
an end to naval building on the
part of all the nations, then the
United States must bend her will
and bend her energies. must give
her men and give her money to the
task of the creation of incomparably
the greatest navy in the world
Wilson's Views Same.
With the completion Of the pro.
posed new three-year building pro-,
gram, adding ten dreadnaughts. sia
battle cruisers, ten scout cruisers,
and 100 smaller craft to the fleet
America still will rank second in
naval strength to Great Britain
said the secretary. who appeared
before the committee to max. hi.
final recommendation for the 1920
naval bill which the committee i.
considering.
Does the president back the pol.
icy to make US the first naval power
in the world?" asked Representative
Kelly of Michigan.
Eyes, if competitive building is to
continue" said Mr.. Daniels.
"We are now easily the second
naval power. but this program will
not make us the first"
The naval secretary said that IL
league of nations is established
America must provide a large part
of world police force necessary to
enforce the leagues DEGREES.
Asks Power to Stop Work.
He added. however, that with
such league formed, it would moi
be necessary to carry out the full
construction program and asked the
committee to include in the bill
legislation empowering the president
to stop construction at his discre.
ton if an international agreement,
should make limitation of armament
a certainty.
81 would like to let the world
know that we are tremendously in.
terested in the presidents PROPOSE.
ton for reduction of armament" de.
clared the secretary.
In reducing from $200,0O0000 to
$55,0W000 the amount asked fol
work on the new building program
during the year beginning next July,
Secretary Daniels said that some
further construction was necessary.
because we want some more mod.
ern shios III our police force"
Mr.. Daniels gave the committee
a report showing the relative
strengths of the navies of the lead.
ing nations of thew orld. Figures
for the Japanese navy were not
available. it was said.
u. S. Second Power.
Great Britain has in operation OF
building of battleships, Is battle
cruisers, 81 heavy cruisers, Ill light
cruisers, 2l6 patrol and gunboats,
400 destroyers, PIG submarines, 98
torpedo boats, 81 flotilla leaders,
220 airships and 897 miscellaneous
ships.
The United States, with the Sec
ond largest navy in the world. has
built or projected SO battleships, s
battle cruisers, 8 armored cruisers,
40 light cruisers, 342 destroyers,
l8l submarines, Is coast torpedo
vessels, II torpedo boats and 569
other vessels.
France has % battleships, 2l
cruisers, 5 light cruisers, 90 de-
stroyers, III torpedo boats, 70
submarines, 50 airships and 1888
other craft.
Italy has IS battleships, 7 cruisers
10 light cruisers, 5 monitors, IS
flotilla leaders, 81 destroyers, 83
torpedo boats, IS submarines, so air
ships and 442 miscellaneous vessels.
Russia before quitting the war,
had IS battleships, battle cruisers,
II heavy and 9 light cruisers, l2a
destroyers, 54 submarines, IS tor
pedo boats, IA airships and 90 mis-.
cellaneous vessels.
Temporary Personnel Increase
Before the armistice was signed
Germany had AZ battleships, 6 battle
cruisers, 81 other cruisers. 223 de-
stroyers, Us torpedo boats, 243
submarines and S64 miscellaneous.