The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-01-02
DANIELS WOULD
INCREASE U. s. NAVY


Washington. Dec 20-Unless ,
league of nations or other tribuna
that will make certain the limitation
Of international armament is estab
iished, the United States mus, build
the greatest navy in the world, Sec
rotary Daniels today told the house
naval committee.
1T is my firm opinion" declared
the secretary, that If the conference
at Versailles does not result in a gen.
enlargement to put an end to nav.
al building on the part of all the ma
lions, then the United States must
bend her will and bend her energies,
must give her men and give her mon
ey to the task of the creation Of in
comparably the greatest navy in the
world"
With the completion of the propos-
ed new three year building program,
adding ten dreadnaughts. six. battle
cruisers, ten scout cruisers and 1870
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 recon-
mendations for the 1920 naval bill
which the committee is considering.
Does the president back the poll
oy to make US the first naval power
n the world?" asked Representative
Kelley of Michigan.
Eyes. il competitive building is to
continue" said Mr.. Daniels. we
are easily the second naval power
but this program will not make us the
first"
The naval secretary said thar il y
league of nations Is established Am
erica must provide large part OF n
world police force necessary to en-
force the leagues DEGREES. He add
ed. however. that with such league
formed II would not be necessary 10
carry out the full construction pro-
gram and asked the committee to in
clude in the bill legislation empcw-
ering the president 70 stop construc-
ton at his discretion If an interim.
tional agreement should make limita-
tion of armament a certainty.
Would Let World Know.
81 would like to let the world
lnow that we are tremendously in
terested IN the presidents proposition
for reduction of armament" dcclar-
ed the secretary
"In reducing from S2OO. OO0. 900
to $4,000 900 the amount asked for
work on the new building program
during the year beginning next July.
Secretary Daniels said that some
further construction was necessary
because we want some more modern
ships in our police force"
Mr.. Daniels gave the committee
report showing the relative strengths
of the navies of the leading nations
of the world Figures for the Japa-
nese navy were not available. il was
said.
Great Britain has in operation or
building 81 battleships. 10 battle
cruisers, 3 heavy cruisers, III light
cruisers, ZIG patrol and gunboats
400 destroyers, 2l9 submarines, 9s
torpedo boats. 50 flctilla leaders. 800
airships, 269 miscellaneous ships.
80 Battleships Under Way.
The United States. with the second
largest navy in the world has built or
projected 80 bsttleships, 6 battle
cruisers. 8 armored cruisers. 40 light
cruisers. 342 destroyers. 1871 subma-
rines, Is coast torpedo vessels, II
torpedo boats and $50 other vessels.
France has 20 battleships, 2 cruis-
ers, 20 light cruisers. SO destroyers.
i2i torpedo boats, 20 submarines. 30
airships and 1853 other craft.
Italy has Is battleshps. cruisers.
10 light cruisers. monitors. rs flo
tilla leaders. o. destroyers. ~ tor
pedo boats, IS submarines. 80 air
ships and it2 miscellaneous vessels.
Russia before quitting the war had
IL battleshIps. 4 battle cruisers. I2I
heavy and . light cruisers. ias de-
stroyers, 81 submarines. ~ torpedo
boats. IA airplanes and 90 mlscel-
Ianeous vessels. Before the armlstlce
was signed Germany had a. battle.
ships. q battle cruisers. 81 other erul,
ses, 221 Destroyer, rs torpedo
boalA, gas submarines and so mis-.
esllaneons vessels