Arizona republican., 1919-03-08
pOTH DANIELS AND BAKER ID
 VISIT EUROPE
Officials Will Go On Busi- ness-Experts To Accom- pany Them-Daniels To Go Next Week.

WASHINGTON, March 7.-Secre- tary Daniels and a party of American naval experts will leave for Europe next week to discuss with allied naval officials the best type of capital war ships to be built in the future, based on the lessons gained in the war. Because of conflicting opinions among Ameri- can officers, the secretary has been asked to submit a definite recommen- dation to the next congress. It was learned that Secretary Baker would sail for Europe about April 1 to close up the business operations of the American expeditionary force. He will be absent about six weeks. Thus Pres ident Wilson and the heads of both the army and navy probably will be away from the country at the same time-a situation which many officials said to- day was without precedent.
 The navy secretary will be accom- panied by Rear Admirals Taylor, chief of the bureau of construction and re- pair, Griffin, chief Of the bureau of steam engineering, Earle. chief of the bureau of ordnance, and Commander Foote, his personal aide.
 Navy Chiefs to Join
 The party will be joined overseas by Admiral Benson. chief of the bureau of operations, who is attached to the American neace delegation, and Vice Admiral Sims, commanding all Amer ican naval forces in European waters.
 Mir. Daniels and his party will sail from New York on the Levithian d week from tomorrow and will go first to Paris to confer with the French ad- miralty Later they will visit Londcn and Rome.
 Plans for the return trip have not yet been made.
 The American mission will address itself particularly to the question of fu- ture types of capital ships. It has been the judgment of the naval general | board that the United States should continue to build dreadnaughts of con stantly increasing power and battle cruisers.
 Admiral Mayo. now commander Of | the Atlantic fleet; Vice Admiral Sims and Rear Admiral Benson, the three of- | ficers who have held the highest posts of the American service, in the war zone. believe however, that a compos- ito ship, combining the speed of battle | cruiser with the munition power and | armor of a battleship, should be sub ! stituted.
 These officers have been particularly ] impressed with British experiments toward a composite craft with the con- struction of the Hood. one of the so- called British "hUsh" ships.
 Baker to Start April
 Secretary Daniels was invited by the British admiralty to visit Europe dur ing the war but he was unable to ac- "eut the invitation. Assistant Secretary 1 Roosevelt, who will be acting secre tarv while MT. Daniels is overseas, twice visited the war zone.
 Secretary Baker made two visits tn France during the var and had planned a third one immediately after the sign ine of the armistice
 The decision of President Wilson tC attend the peace conference, however necessitfed a delay.
 The war secretary homes to he able t0 cOmnlete all the work that lies be- fore him in F'rancn in three weeks and eet hack to WashingtOn bv the middle of Nav Whila ha is oversoas. Rene dict. first assistant to Mir. Baker vii oct as secretary of war