The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-04
In Default Of League of Nations
America Must Have the
Strongest Navy.
PEACE TO COME BY AGREE
MENT OR BY FORCE
Peace Conference Will Decide
Future Policy of Great Powers
as to Navy Building.


Washington, Dec. 3O.-Unless a
league of nations or other tribunal
that VIII make certain the limitation
of international armament is estab-
lished, the United States must build
the greatest navy in the world, Sec
retary Danields told the house na=al
committee today.
'.It is my firm conviction" declared
the secretary, that if the conference
eral asceement to put an end to naval
building on the part of all the ma
tions, then the United States must
bend her will and bend her energE,
must give her men and give her mon
ey to the task of the creation Of in
comparably the greatest. navy in tta
world
With the completion Of the proposed
new three year building program,
adding ten dreadnaughts, six battle
cruisers, ten scout cruisers and 13O
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
make his final recommendations for
the 1920 naval bill which the commit
tee is considering.
Does the president back the policy
to make us the first naval power in
the world?" asked Representative
Kelly Of Michigan.
yes, if competitive building is to
continue" said Mr. Daniels.
Eve are now easily the second
naval power, but this program will
not make US the first"
The naval secretary said that if
league of nations is established Amer
lea must provide a large part of a
world police force necessary to en-
force the leagues decree. He I said
| however, that with such q league
formed it would not be necessary to
! carry on the full construction pro-
gram and asked the committee to in
clude in the bill legislation enpow-
ering the president to stop construc-
ton at his discretion if an interna-
tional agreement should make lirnita-
ton of armament a certainty.
"I would like to let the world know
that we are tremendously interested
| in the presidents proposition" declar.
ed the secretary. In reducing from
5000, 600, 600 to s55,000,000 the
amount asked for work on the new
building program during the year be-
ginning next July Secretary Daniels
said that some further construction
was necessary, because we want
some more modern ships in our po-
lice force Mr.. Daniels gave the
committee report showing the rel
ative strength of the navies Of the
leading nations of the world Figures
for the japanese navy were not avail
able, it was said. Great Britain has
| in operation, or building, CT battle
ships, 13 battle cruisers, 81 heavy
cruisers, III light cruisers, 216 patrol
and gunboats, 400 destroyers, PIG sub
marines, SO torpedo boats. SO flotilla
leaders. 220 airships and S97 miscel-
laneous ships.
The United States, with the second
largest navy in the world, has built
or projected, SO battleships, six battle
cruisers. eight armored cruisers, 40
light cruisers, 342 destroyers, 1S1 sub
marines. Is coast torpedo vessels, II
torpedo boats and $50 other vessels.
France hos % battIeships. p cruis-
ers, eight light cruisers, 80 destroyers.
121 torpedo boats, 70 submarines, SO
airships and 1873 other craft
Italy has Is battIeships, seven
cruisers. ten light cruisers, five mon
itors. Is fiotilIa leaders, Sd destroyers.
S3 torpedo boats, IS submarines, 80
airships and 442 miscellaneous yes
| sells
Russia before quitting the-war had
IS battleships, four battle cruisers, y
heavy and nine light cruisers, 12s de-
stroyers, 81 submarines, 13 torpedo
boats. 81 submarines. Is torpedo
beats, IA airships and 80 miscellaneous
vessels
Before the armistice was signed
Germany had ~ battleships, SIX bat
tie cruisers. 81 other cruisers, 223 de-
stroyers, 175 torpedo boats, 243 sub
marines and 5S4 miscellaneous YES
sells.
Besides the reduction for the new
building program, the secretary sub
nitted new estimates reducing the to-
tai asked for the navy during the next
wear to 1895. 100000 The original es-
Inmates submitted to congress. drawn
while the war was in progress, totalcd
1864 ,307. 900. Pay of the navy under
the new estimates would amount to
$211. 100000, the secretary recon-
mending no permanent increase in
personnel but asking for a temporary
increase to $50, 900 men until after the
peace conference. when a definite pol
icy as to the permanent establish
naent can be framed. A huge in
crease in personnel was contemplate
cd if the war had continued. the esti
mates originally calling for s597 946,
600.
The principal reductions included
the elimination Of the following items:
New batteries $115. .OOO,O 900, torpedoes
and appliances 5000. 900 and re-
serve ordnance supplies $77,609,442.
Reductions We're made in all items
remaining in the bill. the most import
ant being ordnance S21. .044. 900, pro-
visions S144.553 900. naval emergency