The Pensacola journal., 1920-03-07
LEAGUE OR BIG
NAVY DANIELS
Naval Secretary Tells House
Committee United States
Must Lead in Warcraft.
WANTS TWENTY CRUISERS
Vessels Proposed in Secretary's
Recommendation Provide for
Fourteen Destroyer Leaders

Washington, March 6-Reiterating
his statement of last year that 1--WE
must have a league of nations by
which every nation will help preserve
the peace of the world without COM
petitive naval building or we must
have incomparably the biggest navy
in the world" Secretary Daniels to-
day declared there was no middle
ground
Mr.. Daniels told the house naval
committee ne would recommend a
naval building program for the next
fiscal year larger than that proposed
by the general board, 'if the peace
treaty is not ratified at this session
of congress" Withholding final rec
ommendation, however the secretary
added that if this country in the end
rejected membership in the league of
nations, he would feel impelled to re-
new his recommendation for another
three year program of construction.
II had hoped to appear before the
committee today the secretary con-
tinued, with a final recommendation
as TO a building program, but as the
senate has not yet acted upon the
peace treaty, there are uncertainties
in the situation. If the covenant had
been ratified our duty would have
been plain. With the league in OPP
Grafton, composed at first of all the
nations allied or associated in the
world war and with provision for
admiItance of aha other nations op-
posed to conquest and militarism. it
would not be necessary to impose on
the taxpayers of America the assess
ments necessary for building more
capital ships"
recommended be authorized in event
the treaty is not ratified, agreed with
the general boards proposal as DO
capital ships-two battleships and one
battle cruiser-but added to that pro-
teen flotilla leaders, or super destroy
ers. No light cruisers and only six
super-destroyers We're recommended
by the board.
1t had been his intention If the peace
treaty were ratified with the possi-
bility of armaments being curtailed
and regulated" the secretary declared.
to recommended definitely only such
a moderate" building program neces-
sary to round out the fleet" No
capital ships would have been includ-
ed in this program, he added, but in
the unsettled" condition of the world
today he declared the American navy
must be prepared for any emergency
The question for you to decide
the secretary told the committee, lis
whether the United States in future
building shall undertake simply to
round out it's navy by building units
of it's type in which we are now short
or shall embark on further expan-
sion in addition"
Secretary Daniels emphasized the
fleets deficiency in light cruisers and
other secondary craft as demonstrated
by war lessons. The present battle
ship strength, he pointed out soon
would be increased by the ten dread
naughts now building, more powerful
than any battleship afloat" in addition
to the six battle cruisers under con-
struction necessitating more auxiliary
craft.
Destroyers and other anti-submarine
craft construction during the war, Mr..
Daniels said. had taxed facilities and
prevented balanced additions to the
fleet while Great Britain had been
able to carry out a we'll balanced
program. He pointed out that the
British navy had increased its light
cruisers to rs against which the Amer
lean navy has only three all of doubt
full value.
In addition TO capital ships, the
secretary's contingent program includ-
ed scout cruisers, eight mine laying
cruisers, six fleet submarines, four
airplane carriers, and other auxiliary
craft.