Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-08
DANIELS And
Baker Will GO
TO EUROPE SOON
Absence of Both Army and
Navy Heads With President
Will Create Situation
Without Precedent.

w dSIlluBIOu, MdTCn /.-SeCTetary
Daniels and a party of American ma
val experts will leave for Europe
next week to discuss with allied ma
val officials the best type of capital
'yaI ships to be built in the future,
based on the lessons gained in the
war. Because of conflicting opin-
ions among American officers the
secretary has been asked to submit
a recommendation to the next con-
gress.
1t was learned that Secretary
Baker would sail for Europe about
April to close up the business op-
erations of the American expedi-
tionary forces. He will be absent
about six weeks and probably will
arrive overseas before Secretary
Daniels returns home. Thus Presi-
dent 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 today was without pre-
cedent. .s.
Will Sail on Leviathan.
The naval secretary will be ac-
companied by Rear Admirals Tay-
lor, chief of the bureau of construc-
ton and repair; Griffin, chief of the
bureau of steam engineering; Earle,
chief Of the bureau or ordnance, and
Commander Foote, his personal
aide. The party will be joined over
seas by Admiral Benson, chief of
the bureau of operations, who is at
tached to the American. peace dele
cation, and Vice Admiral Sims,
commanding all American naval
forces in European waters.
Mr. Daniels and his party will
sail from New York on the Levia-
than a week from tomorrow and
will 60 first to Paris to confer with
the French admiralty. Later they
will visit Londan and Rome. Plans
for the return trip have not yet
been made. ....
The American mission will ad-
dress itself particularly to the ques-
ton of future types of capital ships.
1t has been the judgment of the
navy general board that the United
States should continue to build
dreadnaughts of constantly increas-
ing power and battle cruisers.
Favor Composite Ship.
Admiral Mayo, now commander of
the Atlantic fleet; Vice Admiral
Sims and Rear Admiral Rodman,
the three officers who have held the
highest posts of the American serv-
i in the war zone, believe, how
ever, that a composite ship, COM
bining the speed of battle cruiser
with the gun power and armor of
a battleship, should be substituted.
These officers have been particular
ly impressed by their experiments
toward a composite craft with the
construction of the Hood. one of
the so-called British hush" ships.
Secretary Daniels was invited by
the British admiralty to visit Eu-
rope during the war, but he was un-
able to accept that invitation. How
ever, Assistant Secretary Roosevelt,
who will be acting secretary while
Mr. Daniels is overseas, twice Wis
tied the war zone.
Secretary Baker made two visits
to France during the war and had
planned a third one immediately
after the signing of the armistice.
The decision of President Wilson
to attend the peace conference, how
ever, necessitated a delay.
The war secretary hopes to be
able to complete all the work that
lies before him in France in three
weeks and get back to Washington
BY the middle of May. While he is
overseas Benedict Crowell. first as
sissant TO Mr.. Baker. will act as
secretary of war.