Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-02
BIGGEST NAVY
IDEA APPROVED
Congress Back of President
and Daniels on Free
dom of the Seas
VERSAILLES TO DECIDE
If Americas Peace League
Plan Is Sidetracked, Naval
Expansion Is Favored

Bv Std6 Correspondent
Warrington. Jan. 2.-The Cnite
states will begin at once to build tn
biggest navy In the world. larger eveI
I than that Of Great Britain, for man.
/, years the mistress of the seas. unless tn
/. Allied nations at the peace conference
At Versailles accept Americas dictun
for the formation of a League of Ma
tions, freedom Of the seas, and limita
< tion of sea and land armaments.
The United States intends that 1
/. peaceable agreements are not made a
; Versailles guaranteeing this country un
I limited opportunity for development o.
it's foreign commerce. then this countr,
will build a navy that will brook no in
reference with Its ambitions for unre
stricted world trade.
This Is the firm conviction of mem
bers of the House and Senate after
listening for three days to Secretary oi
the Navy Daniels's portrayal of the
navy's building program for the next
three years.
And Congress is dispoed TO back the
President and Secretary Daniels up In
their plans for a navy that will within
. very few years overshadow that OF
any other nation and give the United
States complete control of the oceans OF
the world.
The members of the House Naval
Affairs Committee, who have listened for
the last few days to Secretary Danielss s
outline Of the navy program. do not be-
lieve 1t is bad faith to be preparing to
build the biggest navy in the world
while President Wilson Is in Europe in
sisting on a limitation of naval arma-
ments. especially the limitation of Eng
lands sea power
They believe the United States is taxi
ing the proper course to defend herself
against any eventuality, and in serving
notice on England and the other Allied
nations that, IL they do not agree TO
Americas proposal for a League of Ma
tions and limitation Of naval powers, the
United States with its limitless wealth
and great array OF shipbuilding yards
viii build a navy that will overshadow
that Of any of the other powers and
take complete command Of the seas.
: "Tired Of Playing Second Fiddle"
'And it Is only right that we should
DO this" said Congressman Fred Brit
ten. a member of the Naval Affairs Com
mittee. II am tired. and ! know millions
Of other Americans are tired. of playing
second fiddle TO some other nation in
international politics and world conf
merce because our navy ranks only Sec
ond, third or fourth in battle strength.
This war has demonstrated beyond ques-
tion that the biggest navy in the world
commands the seas; is the only one
worth having and that n nation might
as well have no navy at all under the
present arrangement as to have any,
thing but the first navy.
mai Now IL England and the other ma
nranared n inin q a rv1ta
Of Nations. arrange for absolute freedom
OF the seas and limitation Of ornaments,
all right. If they want to continue build
ing big navies. all right: we will build
one, too, and the biggest in the world
We have more money. more materials,
more shipyards and more men to man
our battle fleets than any of them, and
will in few years have the first navy
and command the seas. II any nation
is to command the seas hereafter it will
be the United States.
From conversations I have had with
members of the naval committee and
with numerous Congressman and Sena-
tors, am convinced that Congress is
prepared to back the President and Sec
rotary Daniels up, and have never en-
tertained any doubt that the Ameri-
cans feel that same way about it.
A"f HNpoht
I'VE are prepared in this country to
enter upon a great manufacturing plan
for expectation of our goods to all the
of the world, but we cannot
send our goods where We please, or pro-
test our commerce on sea or land. with
out big navy, unless special ar
rangement is made for II through the
of League of Nations.
, TT has been very Calling 10 me, to
bur business men who wanted TO enter
into the worlds export trade, and to our
administration to find that before we
could export our goods it was necessary
10 get the consent of some foreign en-
bassy In Washington.
Before we could export shoe polish |
10 Spain It was necessary to get special |
yermission from the Spanish ambassador |
here. Before we could send furniture. |
tinware or other goods to Denmark |
Norway. Sweden or some other country |
3onsent had to be obtained from the !
British embassy here. And why? All !
because some other nation had control !
of the seas and we had to do its bidding. |
Its time this thing was stopped and !
hat we had unrestricted right 10 ship !
pur goods where we pleased. II the |
Allies won't arrange it through forming |
he League of Nations at the Versailles |
PEACE conferences, then we VIII pullu tne |
biggest navy in the world and assume
hat right for ourselves.
''Our last three-year naval program is
going along nicely We can begin at |
,nce on Secretary Daniels's new three /
year program and within twelve months .
ran even add TO that so that IN four .
years our navy will be the first navy .
IN the world.
But IL the Allies at the Versailles |
Peace Conferences accept our demand for .
!. League of Nations, freedom of the .
Ieaa and limitation of sea and land |
;,-gikSnents II may be unnecessary to |
,arry out this plan and it can be check
ID up quickly without any great expense
4. 4