Arizona republican., 1919-03-11
DANIELS SAYS ID
 STOP ALL WORK
 ONBATTLESHIPS
Entire Naval Construction Program Held Up-May
 be Abandoned New Type
 of Fighting Machine is Experts to Europe

WASHINGTON. March l0.-Posslol' ity that the whole battle cruiser pro gram of the navy, involving an eN- penditure of nearly a half billion dol- lars. will be abandoned in favor or new type Of cruiser battleship, was in- dicated bv an announcement today, that Secretary Daniels had ordered suspension of work on the six S5-knot cruisers already authorized, until a de- cisiOn as to the future type Of capltal ship could be reached.
 There is a wide difference Of opinion among American naval officers as 10 whether the slow battleship and the fast cruiser should not give way in the future Co a ship combining the power of the one and nearly the speed of the other. and because of this fact, con- rressional committees have deferred action on six additional cruisers unth a full report on new types can be made by the department.
 It is to gather information for this report that Secretary Daniels aud his three chief technical advisors will sail Saturday for Europe. They will be met overseas by Admiral Benson. chief of operations. and Nice-Admiral Sims and upon their return. some weeks be- fore congress meets in extra session. probably i'm the early summer. a gen. cral conference will be held at which a majority opinion of experienced of- ficers will be worked out as to what types of capital ships should be built. . This statement was authorized to- day by Secretary Daniels:
 ''Thc conclusion relating to the type of capital ships. resulting from a close study of naval activities of the present war. has created such a dif- ferCnc of opinion among naval experts that the secretary of the navy has di- rccted the temporary suspension of the building ot the large battle cruisers.
 Mayo Advises New Type
 Admiral Mayo. the commander-in- chief of the United States Atlantic fleet. when before the committee on naval affairs Of the house, stated that in his opinion, tho most effective capi- t.l ship Of today is a high speed bat tleship, which carries the great gun power and armor protection of bat tleShip. and as much as possible of the speed of the battle cruiser Such naval experts as Admiral Benson and Admiral Sims. as a result of their ob- servations and study abroad, concur in Che opiniouC Of Admiral Mayo. Many ot the high ranking officers of the navy department, likewise concur in this opinion, while many of the experts of the general board are of the opinion Q that batuecruisers as planned be pro- Cccdod with, and battle ships of slower speed. greater gun power and greater protection be likewise constructed.
 Because Of the difference of opin- ion among naval experts. the larger amount of mohey involved between Mf C Ina great question of fighting efficiency being involved. the secretary of the navy has directed the temporary sus- pension of construction Of Che battle . cruisers. Little of the work on the hulls has been done. Some Of the elcc- trical machinery has been started. but it is not contemplated that the delay of two months or SO will be such as tC seriously interfere with the proper de- cision in the matter. It is because oi thc difference of opinion among cX- pcrts and Co study naval lessons taught by the war. that the secretary of the navy is taking the chiefs of the techni- cal bureaus of the navy department tc Europe with him Co study the Qucs- ton with naval experts, and obtain sucl other technical information as is pos- sible while abroad. from studies of for. 'lsN pldNe ana SpeClIlCNlOUS.
 First Controversy in Years
 The navy has not had similar con. troversy of ship design for ten years In this case the navy general board charged with deciding upon the mili. tary characteristics of new ships. dis agrees with the opinion of the higi officers who have had experience oyer. seas m the present war On the board are two former commanders of the At lantic fleet. Rear Admirals Badger ant Fletcher. They believe that the con. siruction of both dreadnaughts an, battle cruisers should continue.
 The difference of opinion began las year when the British admiralty de- clded Co alter the plans for the battle ship Hood. to make her a composit, hattleship and battle cruiser In effec The decision was to build very higl speed battleship. sacrificing gun powct 'to some extent for speed, but relainln.