Arizona republican., 1919-02-01
B|C SHIP PROGRAM
 FUR GREATEST NAVY
 ENDORSED BY HOUSE
Makes U. $. Second To None On Sea For $750,000,00 Ten Dreadnaughts And Many Other Craft.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31-The ad- ministration policy of vast naval eX- pansion unless world disarmament becomes a certainty through interna- itonal agreement at Paris, was ap- proved today by the house naval com mittee in unanimously recommending three year building program of ten great battleships and ten scout cruis- CTS.
 Four democrats and two republicans were understood to have opposed the program as originally outlined, but their approval was given after an amendment was accepted providing that work on the new ships should not begin until after February 1, 1920. Ad- ministration leaders said the vote was an endorsement of the program an nounced by Secretary Daniels for an American navy second to none, unless limitations are imposed on all nations by the peace conference. Should an agreement for such limitations be reached, the bill provides that the president may stop construction at his discretion.
 While the program, as recommend ed does not authorize the six battle cruisers and l35 other srnaN craft asked for by the department 1t was explained that it had been decided to postpone construction of these vessels until naval experts could reach agree | ment as to their designs, based on eX- perience gained in the war.
 The agreement of the committee was reached at a long executive session, | after which chairman Padgett smiling | ly announced that the decision had | been unanimous.
 MT. Padgett said the completed naval | bill would carry total of $750, 000, ,000 l of which sum $169,000 900 would be for ] ship construction.
 Work of completing the bill for in- troduction in the house was expected to be finished by tomorraw and MT | Padgett said he hoped to get the meas ure before the house next week.
 Enlarges Navy Force Besides providing for the new build ing program, the bill authorizes a tenn porary naval force of 5000 men, ex- elusive of officers, and carries ar amendment by representative Oliver of Alabama directing that men who enlisted in the navy during the wal | for the regular term of four years shall be regarded as having enlisted for the period of the war, if they ap. ply for such a status before next July 1.
 After the committees decision, it wa. learned that the navy general board headed by Rear Admiral Fletcher, i! studying the question of military char acteristics of new ships closely, bu has not as yet reached definite con clusions.
 The one point on which there appear to be substantial agreement is that n, very radical departures in battle shil or battle cruiser design has grown ou of the great struggle. The engagement of heavy craft were too few to affor, any clear-cut lessons, it was said, an, the developments of these vessels con tinues to be largely on the oretica lines.
 The last American battleships auth orized were designed for a. dispIace S ment of 4S,o00 tons, carrying twelv : 16-inch guns in their main batterie and having speed of 23 knots.
 The six battle cruisers for the nav
 authorized in 1916 constituted the mos ! radical departure in naval design mad t by any nation, it was held, because c |, their great speed and heavy batterie. They were designed for speed of 3
 knots an hour and to carry eight 16 . inch guns.
 Some American officers favor de
 velopments of a composite craft, com
 bining the speed of a battle cruise f with the guns and protection of
 battleship. Others, however, point ou
 that to give a ship both the speed an
 the guns and armor require a grea : increase in size, probably to nearly tn t 60,o00 ton displacement, the limit ono
 set as the maximum craft that coul e pass through Panama canal locks.