The Washington herald., 1918-12-13
Rear Admiral Maps Plan to
Make U. S. Navy Big
gest in World.
WOULD BUILD TILL 1925
Tells House Committee His
Views Are Backed by
President.

should ultimately be equal TO the
most powerful maintained by any
other nation of the world IL
should be gradually increased
year by year, as may be permit
ted by the facilities Of the coun-
try, but the limit above defined
should be attained not later tran
1925" ---
I, Rear Admiral Charles J. Bad
ger, chairman OF the executive
committee of the General Board
of the navy, told the House Naval
Affairs Committee yesterday that
this was the policy Of the admin
istration. II was originally ad-
vanced in July, 1918, by Secretary
Daniels, later approved by Presi-
dent Wilson in a speech at ST.
Louis. and is now the program
Of the General Board.
Must Not Fear Any One.
The General Board believes that un-
der present world conditions and the
I conditions likely to obtain in the
| future" said Admiral Badger. the
United States navy should steadily in
| crease"
Asked the reason for urging a navy
1 OF such tremendous power. Admiral
! Badger said:
We don't want the United States
to be in fear OF any nation in the
I world"
The Presidents attitude. as repre-
I sented 10 the committee. was that
ultimately the United States must
have incomparably the most adequate
navy in the world
halnstay of League.
''Navies must be the principal sup
port Of a league OF nations" said Al
4 rliral Badger. and the United States.
| from its wealth. influence and pow-eT.
! viii be called upon to contribute a
very large share OF the international
! police force 10 render such league
( effective"
Representative Kelley. OF Michigan.
asked:
Haven't England and the United
' States enough ships 10 police the
WORLD
Yes. I think 50. replied the sd-
miral
is il necessary then to build any
more ships. II certain conditions are
brought about" Mr.. Kelley continued.
Not il We are going TO allow some
other nation 10 look after our inter
ests,' was the sdmlrsI's reply
Representative Psdgctt Of Tennessee.
chairman Of the committee, explained
that:
g., The enforcement Of the declsrs-
tions OF the league OF nations will be
by contribution. and our contribution
should be as great as that OF any
other nation"
Admiral BadCer said the Cnitei
States is building Il great merchant
marine and that the duty Of the navy
would be 10 protect il as well as 10
guard against invasion.
blockade Big Factor.
Sea power will always remain a
factor ,-of vast Importance in inter
nattopel relations" he continued.
TIM great naval lesson Of the var
has been that the nation possessing
the most powerful navy was able
IN few weeks TO drive the Ger
man merchant nag from the seas and
TO keep open her own trade routes.
and yet, when the war commenced.
Germany possessed the second best
navy IN the world. II proved 10 be
not good enough The blockade
which she was not able 10 break vas
the greatest contributing csusf ct
her ultimate collapse"
Two additional three-year building
programs similsr TO the one adopted
in 1916 viii be required 10 bring the
navy up 10 the desired Strungth Ad-
nITal badger stated. The original
program SHOULD be completed in fasi.
He declared thst in the recent war
the lack OF capital ships would hav.
been fatal IL We had been fightinc
, sinEle-handed
The second ihr&ne- year program. he
urged. should be started simultaneous
~ with the resumption OF work on
the original program. In this event
II should BE- completed in 1872 The
: third thrce-year program should be
Started before completion OF the 1sec-
8 ond program. in order 20 commit.
the most important parts Of Il in
1875. This could be accomplished hy
eduipping for naval construction the
Emergency Fleet Corporations Yards
as they are released from merchant
marine work.
Conditions Never Better.
The country was never in a bet
ter position for naval eNpansion,-
said the admiral The third three
year program will. put our navy on
an equality with any in the word.
50 far as we can see in the future
Provided England doesn't in
crease hers in the meantime" re-
marked Mr.. Kelley.
Then Wen have TO further in
crease ours" replied the admiral
Suppose England gets a lions
share of the surrendered German
heet?" asked Mr Kelley. do you
still think we should build TO the
point where we would have a navy
equal TO hers?"
''The necessity of the United
States navy being equal 90 the most
powerful navy maintained by any
nation in the world by 1928 would
be as great under those conditions
as Il has ever been" the admiral
said.
At the time of the signing OF the
armistice Germany had thirty-fv
frst-clsss capital ships, Admiral Bad
ger said. OF this number twenty-six
I were bettleships and nine battle
cruisers. In addition. Germany had
twenty-one pre-dresdnaurhts, or sec
ond-class ships
Admiral Badger said six battleshipA,
six battle cruisers, two scout cruisers,