The Washington times., 1920-03-06
Unsettled Condition Of World
Demands Greater Strength,
Says Secretary.
RECOMMENDATION N0TFINAL
Failure Of U. S. to Join League
of Nations Means He Will
Ask So Vessels.

Naval Affairs Committee, Secretary
Of the Navy Daniels declared that
our navy "is weak in the types of
ships which the world war proved
were essential in fleet efficiency"
and he urged the adoption of the
building program for next year call
ing for thirty ships.
Must Be Prepared.
"In the unsettled condition of the
world today" he said. "our navy must
be prepared for any emergency.
I'VE have only two courses to pur-
sue: We must have league of ma
tions by which every nation will help
preserve the peace of the world with
must have incomparably the biggest
navy in the world. There is no mid
die ground"
Unless there is a league of nations
soon, or IL the United States finally
d. cide1s to stay outside the league
Secretary Daniels said, he would be
constrained to recommend a building
program calling for the construction
OF sixty-nine ships.
Inc COST Ol lUe puhuiHs pEo6Idhi
as recommended by Daniels as being
necessary because of the delay on
peace treaty action and the unsettled
condition of the world war was placed
at $195,300. 900.
Next Years Program.
T had hoped" said the Secretary,
ito appear today with a final recon-
mendation as to the building program
for the navy, but as the peace treaty
has not been acted upon there are un-
certainties in the situation.
"If the covenant had been ratified,
our duty would have been plain. With
the league in operation 1t would not
have been necessary to impose upon
the taxpayers, in view of present bur-
dens, the money necessary for build
ing more capital ships.
"The building program for the next
fiscal year. as presented to you, is;
Battleships, 2; battle cruiser. 1:
scout cruisers, 10; hotilla leaders, b;
feet submarines, 6; airplane carriers.
2; aircraft tenders, 2; destroyer ten
der. /: submarine tender. I.
81 am not recommending additional
dreadnaughts. battle cruisers. and
scout cruisers, though these ships are
the backbone of naval efficiency.
Had the peace treaty been settled.
with the possibility of armaments be
ing curtailed and regulated as origin
ally suggested by your committee in
1916, would have submitted a pro-
gram today which would have only
rounded out the navy along the lines
found necessary by our experience in
the late world war.
wnrships Near Completion.
1.-TWO battleships authorized prior
to 1916 are now nearly completed,
and we are building under the three
year program of 1916 ten battelships
more powerful than any foreign bat
tleships afloat and six battle cruisers
superior to any foreign vessels OF
their class. Ten scout cruisers also
are under construction"
The Secretary pointed out that
prior to 1916, naval building policy
had generally followed the line OF
supremacy OF the battleship. The
world war developed submarines and
airplanes to high degree.
AT present" secretary Daniels
con tinued, "the United States has
only one airplane carrier.
N"Great Britain, which had better
balanced fleet before the war and
continued building during the war on
a more nearly balanced scale, while
we specialized on destroyers and 9th
er anti-submarine craft, has the fol-
diving: Aairplane carriers, six; light
cruisers, sevonty-six; flotilla leaders,
thirty; fleet submarines, twenty-one.
Our Fleet Is Weak.
Thus, al a result of the changes
In naval warfare and the sacrifices
we made to win the war. our fleet is
weak In the types which the world
war proved are necessary 10 fleet ef-
ficiency.
"In case the peace treaty Is not
ratified at the present session OF
Congress, am constrained to rec
ommend the authorization of the fol-
lowing building program:
"Battieships, 2; battle cruisers, ]:
scout cruisers, 9; light cruisers, 20;
mine laying light cruisers, 3; fotills
leaders, 20; fleet submarines, 9; air
plane carriers, 4; destroyer tender, J.
submarine tender, ].
"If u shall turn out that tho United
States definitely decides not to be
como party TO the League OF Ma
tions. shall feel II my imperative
duty to renew my recommendation OF
last year for the authorization at this