The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-06
WORKED SHEARS WITH VENGEANCE
 ON NAVY BILL Cutting of Appropriation May Result In Naval
 Deterioration.
MONEY NEEDED
 TO KEEP LINE
 SHIPS IN REPAIR
Republicans Trying To Build Straw Man" Out
 of Investigation.

can leaders in Congress the second navy of the world Is to be allowed ''to go on the rocfzs.'' They have appar- en9y decided it would be better to save some ten million dollars needed this year for the pay of skilled art1- sans to keep the navy af1oat rather than safeguard the hundreds of mill lions of dollars invested in the navy. The decision of the forces in control of Congress has been reached in the face of written warnings of such ma val experts AdHatrals Griffin and Tayfor, the urgent request of the Sec retary of the Navy and the fact that they themselves are now trying to build g. straw man out Of their inves- tigations of the state of preparedness of the navy several years ago.
 Last summer the Secretary of the Navy found it necessary to ask Of the House various deficiency appropr1a- ltione needed to carry the navy through the year. In these were in cIuded items for the pay of skilled mechanics In the yards over the coun- trv whose services were imperative to kesp even tho first line ships repaired end af1oat. At that time the House received a favorable report from the kCornnfttee on Naval Affairs and voted Lthe sums necessary for this work. Then the bdla went to the SeEte where that body saw fit to Top off S4hese sums requested and the defi- Icie1lcy bill was passed without them. As the need grew more imperative 41le Secretary found it necessary to write the following urgent letter to EGpeaker of the House Gillette:
 '+Tthe serious situation with refer hence to the military efficiency of the navy dnpels me to write earnestly in fviting attention of Congress to the necessity of the deficiency appropr1a- tion of $10, ,314, ,962.19 requested by me in my letter to you on the 18th day of Dec, 1919, and which passed the House last summer but which failed of passage in the Senate. The cond1- lions are much more serious now than they were when presented at that time and are set forth fully in the accompanying letters from the chiefs of the Bureau of Operations, Construction and Repair, Steam En- gineerfng and Yards and Docks. It will be seen from these letters that unless an appropriation is available +here will be a serious loss Of the military efficiency of the Navy. These officers whose letters I am enclos- inr are charged with the responsi- biIitv of keeping the fleet in read dness for any emergency that may occur and their letters show the ne cessity for this appropriation. I need not say to you that the necessity of dis,zharging 13,9oO skilled artisans, whose services to the Navy in the war was one of the important factors of it's efficiency, would be a matter ,of grave concern and that without fhis appropriation 1t will be my pain flIl duty to discharge these men be- cause there will be no funds to pay thexn. I am sure that the Congress when they read these letters from the Naval officers who have given this matter great study will agree with me that this is a matter of inn mediate importance and prompt ac- tion will be taken"
 In spite of this appeal setting forth the emergency the Appropriations Committee of the House has so far seen fit to report out a deficiency -bi1 without including the provisions asked for in this letter. There is no evidence that the Republican leaders in the House will override the recon ;Inendations of the committee and it looks as though the navy will be al- flowed to deteriorate.
 Some idea of the urgency of the saDpropriations requested is gleaned sfrom the letters of Bureau chiefs transmitted to Congress by Secretary Daniels. The Chief of Naval Opera tbons said in part:
 
 throughout the world demand that the ships of the Navy be kept in eff Ifictent condition for action. The mum ber of ships now capable of operat- ing effectively in case of emergency is dankserously small This condition is a direct result of lack of funds with which to prosecute vigorously the re- lquired repair work on vessels whose material fitness has been lowered through the excessive and continuous demands of War Service.
 Admiral Griffin, for years an ac cepted authority on maintenance anG repair and in charge of the Bureau of Steam Engineering, sent to Con gress, a detailed statement of tn, overhaul condition of the fleet, fol which these funds are needed. Ht
 "As 8 result of the reduced appro priation it has not been possible tt proceed with repairs expeditiousl! as it was desired, and thus far onl. battleshfps alone:
 has this to say of the condition of tn five battleships have been overhaule' and returned to service, some with out the complete accom- mpliShnent 0 some important fire control work, tn necessity for which has been demon strated from experience gained dur ing the war.
 
 full commission, fourteen are now a Navy yards, some under repair an others awaiting their turn to b taken up when funds are avail ab1e.''
 Here is the condition on dread naughts as set forth by Admiral Fay Tor, Chief of Construction and Re pair:
 .sOf the fifteen dreadnaughts act ually in service, the overhaul on tw has been completed. the overhaul O two can be completed and one abor half completed from the funds no available, the overhaul of four hs been completed from the funds avai able had it not been found necesasr to with draw them from the Nav wards before all work had been a; complished, and no work can be dor ion the remaining six. With addition al funds, work can proceed on a these vessels that can be made avai able