The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-08
PROTECT
PACIFIC
SHORES
Secretary Daniels Says Exten-
sive Development Must
be Started at
Once.
STRIKING INADEQUACY
Urges Strong Naval Reserve Much
Laroer and Better Trained Than
During the
War.
STRIKING INADEQUAcY

limited Press Leased Wire Servlce.I
WASHINGTON, March S.--An ex
tensive development of naval faclh'
ties on the Pacific coast must be
started Immediately, Secretary
Daniels told the naval affairs COM
mittee today.
."The inadequacy Of Pacific bases
is strikingly apparent Daniels de-
clared, outlining in detail the de.
yelopments he would have this con.
sress authorize. The Pacific fleet IS
now much larger than the entire
fleet which sailed from San Fran
cisco in it's famous trip around the
world, he pointed out.
cit is not the part OF wisdom to
delay providing adequate facilities on
that coast" Daniels said. "The Pa
cific fleet as 1t now exists has ton.
mage of over 100000 and with the
mighty ships under construction,
within a few years facilities much
greater than I am now recommending
will be required"
Daniels after declaring that
strong Pacific fleet was necessary to
safeguard the coast, the Philippines
and Alaska, made the following spe'
cific recommendations: ,
II recommend the immediate de.
yelopment Of bases in the Pacific as
follows: .l.
"Pearl harbor to be developed as a
supply base for the vessels of the
fleet with facilities for repair and
routine apkeep of these vessels.
Guam to be developed to an ex-
tent that will permit Of its serving
Nd ,,anair station for
vessels bound to the Philippine
islands. ...... -.. .,.- -E...
"A navy yard on San Francisco bay
should be developed which Will per
NIT of the docking and repair OF the
capital ships now building. e..
.On account OF the draft OF these
vessels, it is considered by naval ex'
perts that the attempt to deepen the
channel to Mare island sufficiently to
utilize that yard for the repair and
upkeep of the great dreadnoughts
and battle cruisers Is not justified.
Mare island, which made the world s
record in destroyer construction dur
ing the world war. will always be
taxed to the limit as repair and
yard for cruisers, destroyers,
submarines and auxiliary craft, and
for new construction. It will be
needed and there will be more ships
there in the future than heretofore,
for though the new navy yard Oh
deeper water Is needed for the
largest type of ships, even with that
yard in operation, there will still be
less facilities than will be needed
for the larger and expanding navy"
A strong naval reserve, much
larger and better trained than exist
ed before the war, must always be
by the United States,
Secretary Daniels told the house
naval affairs committee.
He urges congress to authorize en-.
rollment of $4,000 in the naval re-
serve, with the provision that they
shall have one year Of active servica
and afterwards be available for call
in an emergency.
The reserve he called the "salva-
ton of the navy during the war
Naval training summer schools for
boys between Is and 20 years should
be established at Hampton Roads,
Great Lakes, Newport, r. l., and ona
place on the Pacific coast, Daniels
said.
The whole system should be
voluntary, the secretary said, adding
that as far as the navy is concerned
universal training is not necessary"
"At the present time we have a
large force which of course consti-
tutes valuable potential asset in
hat about $4,000 officers and 200,-
300 men had naval training under
war conditions Provision must be
made so that the best Of theses can
be kept interested in the reserve AMI
% induce new men to enroll.
"The navy yard at Bremerton
should be enlarged to permit of its
caring for q larger quota of the
1eet This yard should become one
Continued on page %