Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-01
Unless an International Agree
ment Is Reached at Paris,
u, S, viii Strengthen Its
Fleet Of Sea Fighters,
TEMPORARY FORCE OF
225,000 AUTHORIZED
Unless Limitations Are ImpoS-
ed by Peace Conference,
Work On New Vessels VIII
Begin After Feb, /, 1920,

tsf AoshsS -ou,.~"L srtcIAL LtAsHo ~isH1
Washington, Jan. 3.-The admins
tration policy of vast naval expansion
unless world disarmament becomes a
certainty through international agree
ment at Paris was approved today by
the house naval committee in unani-
mously recommending new three
year building program of ten great
battleships and ten scout cruisers.
Four democrats and two repubi-
cans were understood to have OPP
posed the program as originally out
lined, but their approval was given
after an amendment was accepted
providing that work on the new ships
should not begin until after Feb. |,
1920. Administration leaders said
the vote was an endorsement of the
program announced by Secretary
Daniels for an American navy second
to none. unless limitations are i'm
posed on all nations by the peace
conference. Should an agreement
for such limitation be reached, the
bill provides that the president may
stop construction at his discretion.
While the program, as recommend
ed. does not authorize the six battle
cruisers and 1870 other small craft
asked for by the department, it was
explained that it had been decided to
postpone construction of these veasels
until naval experts could reach agree
ment as to their designs based on eX-
perience gained in the war.
Decision Was Unanimous.
The agreement of the committee
was reached at a long executive SEES
sion, after which Chairman Padgett,
smilingly announced that the decision
had been unanimous.
Mr.. Padgett said the completed ra-
val bill would carry total of $3.50
100000, of which sum $169,O00,000
would be for ship construction
Work of completing the bill for in
PRODUCTION in the house was expected
to be finished by tomorrow and Mr..
Padgett said he hoped to get the mea-
sure before the house next week.
Besides providing for the new
building program, the bill authorizes
a temporary naval force of 225.O00
men, exclusive of officers, and or
ries an amendment by Representative
Oliver of Alabama, directing that
men who enlisted in the navy during
the war for the regular term Of four
years shall be regarded as having en-
listed for the period Of the war. if
they apply for such change Of status
before next July l.
After the committees decision. it
was learned that the navy general
board. headed by Rear Admiral
Fletcher, is studying the question of
military characteristics of new ships
closely, but has not as vet reached
definite conclusions.
No Radical Change In Design.
The one point on which there ap-
pears to be substantial agreement is
that no very radical departures In
battleship or battle cruiser design has
grown out of the great struggle The
engagements of heavy craft were too
few to afford any clear-cut lessons, it
was said, and the developments Of
these vessels continues to be largely
on theoretical lines.
The last American bat 'leships au-
thorized were designed for dis
placements of $4,000 tons, carrying
twelve l6-inch guns in their main
batteries and having a speed of IS
knots.
The six battle cruisers for the navy
authorized in 1916 constitute the
most radical departure in naval de-
sign made by any nation, it was held,
because of their great speed and
heavy batteries. They were designed
for speed of 35 knots and to carry
eight l6-inch guns.
Some American officers favor de-
velopments of composite battle
craft combining the speed of battle
cruiser with the guns and protection
Of battleship. Others, however.
point out that to give ship both the
speed and the guns and arm " would
require great increase in size, prob
ably to nearly the so, 900 ton dis2lacc-
ment, the limit once set as the maxi
mum craft that could pass the Para
ma canal locks.