New-York tribune., 1920-02-01
F. ID. Roosevelt
Sees Billion a
Year Navy Cost
Assistant Secretary Tells
Brooklyn Chamber Of
Commerce America. Must
Be Equal to Any Power
A Trade Protection Need
inspects New Naval Club
and Gives 1t Official De-
partmentai Endorsement

1t will cost the American people a
billion dollars year to maintain the
American navy in the position it must
hold in the future, Franklin D. Roose-
velt. Assistant Secretary of the Navy
told the Brooklyn Chamber OF Com
merce yesterday. 1t was possible, Mr.
Roosevelt added, that some agreement
TO restrict armaments might come out
the league of nations discussions, but
IN any event, for the proper protec-
ton OF Americas commerce. the United
States Navy would have to be placed
at least upon an equal footing with
the navy of any power in the world.
Mr. Roosevelt remarked that ne had
been for seven years in Washington,
but he was still a civilian, and he
never had received Il medal or declined
one. He added that the second fighting
ot the war, VII ch is to occur in Wash
lngton, probably would show the Ameri-
can people a lot more of what the
navy did and did not do.
." II we go on with system of COM
petltive building,' be continued, "we
must, as nation, consider that any
other nation Is potential enemy. We
must make up our minds to spend
cheerfully far vaster sums than we
have ever spent before.
Sees $1,000, 100000 a Year for Navy
"This all means that we ore not 60
ing to be content to be second, third
or fourth, but that we are going to
have a navy which will be the equal of
any navy ahoat. | see no reason, II we
are going in Tor competitive building,
why the cost Of maintaining the Amer
lcan Navy should not reach $1,000 600
600 a year. That sounds very alarm
ing, but it is what is going to happen.
1t must happen if we are TO maintain
our protection, assuming that ntcrra-
Ulonal relations 20 back to what they
We're before the war
III. through the league of nations or
BY some other agreement, an under
standing to limit ornaments should be
arrived at feel quite certain the
policy of the American Navy would be
That under such a standard this coun-
try should have a naval force at least
the equal of that of any other nation"
Mr.. Roosevelt said that it WAS impos-
siblc TO get any two naval experts 70
agree as to what would constitute the
navy of the future There were many
who believe dreadnourhts should be
the principal nsideration, others who
pin their faith 20 destroyers, some who
bank on submarines and some who are
enthusiastic about aircraft.
"But. wnen everything is said and
DONE he continued, "the navy must
De rounded structure You can't say
that there is just one type which makes
navy. Some day. possibly, there Will
be developed a type Of naval craft
which will operate on the water, be-
meath the water and in the air, but
that day is not yet here. The basic
principles of naval warfare remain to-
day what they were in the days Of
Nelson"
Inspccts Navy Club
From Brooklyn Mr Roosevelt went
to the new Navy Club, in East Forty
first Street, where he inspected the
club and gave the venture the otfic
Endorsement OF the Navy Department.
The Assistant Secretary congratulated
the New York women who conceived
and executed the idea.
"There is need ali the time for Just
this kind Of home for the sailors
while they are in New York; he said
When | return TO Washington I will
see that general order is published
officially approving of this club and
directing commanding officers to rec
ommend it to their men and advise
them when in New York to make it
their headquarters"
cit is better" he added, chat the
club should remain a private enter
prise, free from red tape or official in
terference."
Later Mr.. Roosevelt kept a private
engagement at the Harvard Club. He
wiil return to Washington Tonight.