The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-28
NAN'S POLICY FOR WORLDS GREATEST FLEET ABANDONED,
 DECLARES DANIELS
Secretary Says Trend of World Toward Universal Peace Makes Competi-
 tion for Supremacy of
 Seas Unnecessary

Washington, May 27.-The policy of the navy department for a fleet second to none in the world" has been tempo rarily abandoned.
 Secretary Daniels, appearing be-
 fore the House naval affairs com-
 mittee today to outline the needs
 of his department for the next
 fiscal year, recommended that the
 entire 1919 threc-year building pro-
 Eramme of 10 battfeships and 10
 battle cruisers he abandoned, say
 ing that the trend of the world
 toward universal peace and the op- eration of the proposed league of
 nations made competition for su-
 premacy of the seas no longer
 necessary.
 The naval secretary asserted that as the United States had taken a fore most part in promoting the league of nations plan, it would be this na- tion's duty to show faith in the cove nant by refusing to authorize further large additions to the sea forces Work on the 1916 programme. he said, should be completed as soon as possible out the 1919 programme which it is esti- mated would involve an expenditure If more than o0,000,000, should be wiped off the slate"
 There can be no hathaway ground" he told the committed which will initiate all naval legislation. "Either We must have the league to safeguard the interests of every nation, or the biggest navy in the world
 REASONS FOR CHANGE
 Explaining the reasons for the navy departments change of policy. Secre- tary Daniels said that when he an- peared hefeIae iisa c.zRsiittee last Ds- cember and urged additional ship con- struction, the associated governments had not begun consideration of a league of nations plan and conditions made it necessary that the United States should not be caught again s.s unprepared as 1t was al the outbreak of the war.
 But since then" he said, "the cove nant has been drafted and new era for the world has begun. Peace will take the place of bloodshed. 1t will be far best for the interests of all na- tions that the United States should set d precedent by stopping where it is ,
 MT. Daniels said that if the United States did not launch new building programmes, other nations would fol- low the example and change their naval plans accordingly. Great Britain, France and Italy, he asserted, were waiting on the United States.
 Starting with some observations of his recent trip abroad as related to naval plans and construction, the sec retary touched upon almost every fed- ture of the navy's work in the war and will continue his testimony tomorrow.
 There has been no change, he said, respecting a division of the fleet, half of which will be known as the Atlantic and the other half as the Pacific. with two of the best admirals in the navy in command of each. The divisions will be equal as to dreadnaughts and ships of every type, he said, and the plan was devised to ward off the dae- ger common after every war, that the personnel should not grow stale.
 Aviation should have attention, ae said. and at great length Secretary Daniels told what other navies had aS- complished, particularly Italy, and of the vast sums appropriated for this service, which required constant changes in order to provide modern equipment In this connection he declared that the navy should have ct least $45,000,000 this year for experi- mental purposes mostly