The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-09
DANIELS ASKS
NAVAL EXPANSION
Story of Nays Brilliant
Achievements Told in
Annual Report
mo EASTBOUND
TROOPSHIP LOST
Graphic Chapter Devoted to Heroic Elk
ploits of the Marine Brigade-What
the Three-Year Building Program
Will Provide in Way Of Ships.

!
Will Provide in Way of Ships.
WASHINGTON, Dee. 9.-With a
story of brilliant achievements OF the |
American navy i'll the war, Secretary |
Daniels couples, in his annual report |
made public today. an urgent recon- |
mendation for continued naval expan- |
sion to meet the demands of peace for |
national and international work ON the |
sea.
Through nearly all Of III printed |
pages the secretary tells in brief |
phrases of the navy's part in the war,
of the doing of the seemingly impossi-
bile through teamwork lie speaks of
the mighty accomplishment of trans
| porting two million men to France,
without the loss of an eastbound troop
| ship through enemy action, and be de
votes graphic chapter TO the marine
brigade, which as Ill the world knows
blocked the last Prussian advance on
Paris. and started the German retreat
that ended the war.
This reference to the future con
cludcs the report:
s'The dav is not far distant when the
world will witness an end of competi-
tive building between nations of
mighty weapons Of war. In the peace
| treaty there will undoubtedly be in
ccrporatrd President Wilson s proposal
for "A reduction of armament ito the
lowest point consistent with domestic
safety.
Navies will still he needed as an
international police force to compel
|. tcrnational tribunal which will be set
: mp 10 decide differences between ma
tiou>. Naval vessels will have large
peace tasks Of survey and discovery
.. and protection in addition to police
duty of an international as well as of
. a national character.
. InaSmurh as the United States is
the richest OF the great nations and has
! suffered less in the war than any Of the
! allied powers. il viii devolve upon this
! country TO make confirmation to the
: navy to preserve the peace of the
: world commensurate with its wealth.
! its commerce, its growing and expand
? ing merchant marine. and its leader
! ship in the council Of free people. 1t
! Is therefore, our duty now NOT, indeed
: "a enter upon any new and ambitious
I. naval program. but to 90 forward
| steadily upon the lines of naval IN
/ crease to which tho country committed
0 itself BY The adoption three years ago
2, Of the far-rcaching constructive naval
/ program in the history of the Republic
: Il have recommended to this con
: grcSs the adoption OF another three
J, vcar program substantially like the on
authorized in 1915. But the victory o;
the allies and the United States should
= and will ! sincerely trust, within few
n years make il no longer NECESSARY FOL
n. any nation under whip and spur &
il burden its taxpayers TO undertake Il
j. build. in competitive construction. big
= ger sighting ships and more of then
than any other nation can construct
Mr.. Daniels shows that the new 5000,
h 100000, three year building program b.
- has proposed will provide 156 addition
: al naval ships, ten OF them dread
nsughts and six battle cruisers. and tn
others TO he in such distribution o
II approved types Is the department ma,
= deem best
Taking up his story of the navy AM
the war; the secretary declares the scrv
- ice was ready from stem to stern
when the United States entered III
- conflict. From the DAY when the frs
:, three-ycar program was adopted i
= - 1916. he adds, Congress has give
- everything that could be desired to ii
sure the effectiveness OF the nava
8 arm
bo Teamwork had been the navy 5 So
j, gan for five years, and it continued {
ii lie the war motto both at homc an
al abroad. The striking success of til
* lazy is Inscribed to this fact by NJ
Mt Daniels, who continues
lie Apparently there have been time
1t. Wien Secretary OF the navy SCENE
en- 70 find friction and lack Of co-operatio
err among the officers around him. II tha
sn -Tirit ever existed in the United State
ID navy, ! can state with confidence an
,or pride that there is row no vcstige {
,et il, and | firmly believe, from my q
To pericnee, not only during the last yes
nd but during the five wears preceding,
Id Will nnyer rp+,,r4i -