Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-08
A PEERLESS NAVY Is AN ITEM
ON OUR ISOLATION BILL
Secretary Daniels soberly States the Case
in His Costly Program Contingent on
the Fate Of the League Of Nations


that Mr.. Daniels quoted the phrase in
addressing the House naval affairs COM
mittee the other day.
He mentioned tax burdens. The theme
is SOLDERING. The American pulse seldom
responds to it ecstatcally. This is not be-
cause the public is stingy, for the Amer
lean people are unquestionably among the
most generous on earth.
Nor is it because our brand of patriot
ism shrinks from sacrifice. Chronic
kickers aside, it is not selfishness which
primarily prompts resentment to heavy
taxes They chafe most when firm con-
viction of their necessity is wanting.
The novelty in the present situation
lies in the nations own latitude in deter
mining whether it's need of armaments
shall be comparatively light or continu-
ously oppressive. The secretary of the
navy stated the case with commonplace
clarity in foreshadowing the submission
of an exceedingly elaborate naval pro-
gram to be executed in the event OF
failure of the United States to join the
League of Nations.
''There is," he significantly said, mo
middle ground" The American who can
not realize this fact is blind to the role
which his country must play if perilous
competition in ornaments, naval and
military, is to be revived.
Americas lone hand must be strong
one. It will not do for our fleet to be
inferior to Britain's, for it is conceivable
that in crisis we might have to yield to
British dictation. With an army Of a
million men we should still be unequal to
France, which in the absence of immedi-
ate certainty regarding the leagues fate
is planning a military organization
slightly larger in numbers. We can, of
course, afford to outbid our rivals. Taxes
on a monumental scale will foot the bill.
Sometimes it seems as if the denunci
tors of the eLeague Of Nations, not its ad-
vocates, were the idealists. There is an
epic aspect in the picture of a great re-
public overwhelmingly armed for every
possible eventuality capable of challeng-
ing it's foes right and left, competent to
crush them with its wealth, its numerical
strength, it's engines of war.
On the other hand Article VIII of the
league covenant is strikingly void of
poetic and romantic glamour. Members
of the league" runs this sober text, "rec-
ognize that the maintenance of peace re-
ouires the reduction of national arma-
ments to the lowest point consistent with
national safety and the enforcement by
common action of international obliga-
tions. The council, taking account of the
geographical situation and circumstances
of each state, shall formulate plans for
such reduction for consideration and ac'
ton of the several governments. Plans
shall be subject to revision and reconsid
Grafton at least every ten years" The Or
lando Furiosos of the Senate imply thai
such arrangements are impractical Anc
vet, granted that the international part
, | nership will not function fiawlessly, i
may be questioned whether the adoption
of the part of independent invulnerabilit!
will be entirely free of strain.
Mr.. Daniels insists that without th'
league our navy must surpass that O
anv other nation. AS We are now in sec
ond place it is the British pace that w
will be compelled to outstrip.
The disparity between the navies o
the two governments is still considerable
On January / of this year the BIRTHS
national fleet totaled nearly 2,500,00
tons. Our tonnage was some 100000. /
! the last fiscal year for which there ar
s comparative estimates, Great Britain eS
O pended little more than 81 1,000,0 100000
S on her navy. Our bill was $261 ,403,176.
The secretary of the navy suggest
s that, should the treaty be rejected, h
f will recommend the building of tw
n cruisers, one battle cruiser, twenty ligf
e cruisers and fourteen fotlla cruisers {
1
g that of the general board.
n Time was when such proposals wou
70 have seemed formidable and have for
If shadowed depressing tax levies. But
tentatively urging such a plan, M
a. Daniels has made indeed mild begil
W ming in the policy of naval superiorit
IS These ships will not make US "incompa
o, able" at sea. If England is unchecked
m the league she will, merely by maintai
Us ing her normal rate of naval progres
Of continue to leave US far behind.
ne Preparedness is relative term VIII
MS Europe was growing the seeds of t
i'd general conflict each major nation inte
lg preted the word as the maximum
armament German naval constructi
spurred England to hitherto unprec
dented naval increases. The French I
nublic and the Teutonic empire were mi
'n tary camps. Russia, Austria, Italy, ev
Turkey, put forth their utmost energi
'r- TO fortify themselves against aggressi
re and to take the initiative if the oppC
ty tunity seemed ripe and the cause su
hu cient.
'se It is no secret that these methods we
is unpopular. But necessity was terri
taskmaster and even in nations incapaI
ult of thinking clearly, as Germany was, ]
red tr;otism will heroically accept the ineN
her able. Patriotism will now support to
q? Utmost the new position which Amer
rty has acquired. If the common sense OF
League of Nations plan is insufficient
dn,nhtn NIrh