The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-20
.DANIELS'S PLANS
.TOBEEXPrAINED
House Committee Calls Secre-
tary to Tell To-day About
Big Navy Programme.
ASKS FOR S2.441,9 900, 900
Republicans Believe Large
Cuts Can Be Made in Inter-
est Of National Economy.
Special DespntcA TO run sus.


WASHINGTON. Nov 1s.-Secretary Of
the Navy Daniels will appear before the
House Naval Committee tomorrow
morning and will be asked by the COM
mittee to explain the exact present sit
nation Of the navy in every detail.
The committee met foc the first time
to-day TO consider the enormous esti-
mate OF 2.441,900,000 for continuing
the operation of the navy and the build
ing programme, but at the insistenoe
OF Republican members decided 20 in
vite the Secretary to tell what ships
Of the last building programme have
been built, what ships have been laid
down and not completed. and how many
have not been started. 1t appeared to-
day that the naval plans for the future
are to be discussed most exhaustively
before Congress commits itself in the
way OF big expenditures.
Admira, Earl, naval chief of ordnance
was before the committee to-day and
ii soon became apparent that hundreds
of millions OF dollars could be Topped
of estimates submitted by the Navy De-
partment. The estimates were framed
for ordnance and every other detail as
IL war was to continue without the end
In sight. IL was decided to hear Secra-
tary Daniels fully before attempting TO
estimate how much could be cut out OF
the bill.
Cali Present Plans Too Big.
Members Of the Naval Committee hold
that the plans in tho estimates for a
new three year building programme are
altogether out Of place at this time
Many OF the capita lighting ships Pro-
vided for in the three year programme,
which ordinarily would be close to com
pletion now, have not even been started.
they declare In one yard alone. thar
OF the New York Shipbuilding Corpora
ton at Camden. n. y, two superdYead-
noughts and one battle cruiser we've on
the ways when work vas stopped on
them and the yard put to building de-
stroyers as fast as they could be turned
out.
1t was apparent to-day that the COM
mittee would insist that the unfinished
ships of the las,>three year programme
be included In the number OF ships the
Navy Department seeks in its new pro-
gramme. This would mean a big re-
duction in the appropriation for next
year.
Secretary Daniels's plans in relation to
the manning OF ships OF tine American
merchant marine is regarded by many
on the committee as not feasible. Mr.
Daniels will be asked II he has any
sound reason for believing that he can
hold the present crews of young men
who volunteered for the war emergency
in that employment He also will be
asked IL he intends to continue to try to
man the ships with naval enlisted men
in peace times or whether II Is the inten-
tion to have the ships operated by civil
ian crews.
WOuld Lease TO Private Persons.
A strong element OF the committee in
tends TO voice opposition to the Govern
ment continuing operation of the big
merchant fleet after tho war Is ended
and TO urge instead leasing the vessels
TO private owners.
The committee will ask the Secretary
TO say frankly and fully just what share
of the German navy Is to be turned over
10 the United States. how It will affect
the relative strength qf the navy as COM
pared with the other naval Powers of
the world. and what the policy of the
Administration Is TO be as to the place
the American navy should occupy among
the world powers. particularly with rela-
tion to Great Britain.
The Secretary will be asked also TO eX-
plain fully to what extent the plan for
part disarmament Of the navies Of the
world is expected to be, effective and. II
the plan is to go through, why It is neces-
sary to lay the plans now and provide
money for an enormous new naval pro-
gramme. The Republicans of the COM
mittee will insist on a definite answer to
this question. mainly in tine interests of