New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-03-11
DOCTORS Of NAVY
DISAGREE IN THIS
SOME SAY BUILD BATTtESHlPS
WHILE OTHERS WANT GREAT
VESSELS ScRAPPED.
MEN OF ARMY TAKE A HAND
They, Like Admiral Sims, Believe
Country Needs Big Air Fleet Rather
Than More Observation-Disclosures
Tests Will Be inaugurated.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of medicine
are not the only ones who disagree
on occasion. Just now the doctors
of the navy in Washington are as fan
apart as Byzantium from Spain ON 4
proper future navy policy. one sci
of doctors says build big b%attleships,'
while another says scrap big battle
ships
Frequently the army and navy differ
widely In their views rs to what
should be done along lines of mill
tary policy. Today the army is with
"A part of the navy, while another part
of the navy, and perhaps the greater
battleship building.
Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, L. s, A.
is the chief of the training and opera
tion divisions of the land air forces.
He insists that what the country needs
is a greater air fleet, and not n greater
navy as represented by big battle
ships.
Rear Admiral William $. Sims, who
during the war was commander of the
American naval forces in European
waters and who has been considered
an authority OF sea matters for many
years, stands with General Mitchell In
his contentious that the greater need
of the country is II big air fleet and
not IA greater fleet of dreadnaughts.
Succinctly, General Mitchell has said
our aircraft strength must be superior,
or I'VE will be shot out of the water"
Most of the senators 10 not agree
with Admiral Sims and General
Mitchell. The program for a great
navy unquestionably eventually Is to
be put through. Unless war shall
come, no one perhaps ever may know
which of the two cOntending factions
was right in its position OF this sea
fleet and air-fieet matter, hut il is pos
sible that even in peace time the
dreadnaughts of sea and land may he
able to demonstrate that they can hit
the mark every time with their bombs.
Can't Stop Until Japan Does.
If Japan, the one great nation be-
sides the United States which is en-
gagged In such work, were not going
ahead with its big ~battleship plans,
II is possible that the United States
Immediately would cancel the provi-
sions of the battleship program. OF
course, no one says that this Is the
reason that the United States is going
ahead with the work, but there is a
feeling that so long as n nation
with whom hostilities are a possibility,
even though a remote possibility, Is
building, the United States must be
prepared ito meet possibilities"
The other night at the Army and
Navy club the writer had a few min
utes' talk with General Mitchell. The
differences of opinion on the battle
ship and air-fieet subjects were not
discussed, but General Mitchell said
that today the men In the air could
drop bombs so as 10 hit n small mark,
and could do IL time after time, 80 to
speak, handwriting.
Those Of the navy who believe In
bhANi'FihlfH b'tftlt' NV itutlh Vi
the air feet men that the great craft
can be put out of business In short
order, and they also reject the oDin-
ions Of their own chief naval officer on
this subject, Rear Admiral Sims.
The navy men who do not think
that aircraft can Edo their big ships
up" certainly have the courage of
their sailor convictions. II has been
suggested that some obsolete or near
battleship be towed to sea
and that a test lie made OF the abil-
ty of the airplane men TO hit them
with their bombs. OF course the ships
would be Unanswered as they would
De In a battle against airplanes.
Officers Defy the Air Bombers.
Touching the matter of the courage
II the convictions of the naval officers
Who believe that the day of the big
hips is moi ended, It may be said
hat they have agreed to man a big
'attleship and to let the air fleet try
o get them with actual high explo-
I've bombs. 1t Is not likely that this
fer will be accepted, but II shows
he confidence IF the navy men that
heir air brethren cannot do what I
hey say they can do. [
II Is probable that before long some 4
attleships whose usefulness is gone {
ill be towed to sea, there to become
target for real bombs from on high. Z
he object Of these tests will be def I
itely to determine what airplane c
ombs ran do TO a big ship. hitting IL s
$ they Will on Its upper decks and n
PIPER works. Some navy men declare c
hat bombs striking a vessel in this q
-ay cannot do 1t great damage. and
lat armor and other defenses can
the guns.
Nine Months to Build Tariff Bill. G
Joseph W. Fordney. chairman Of n
he ways and means committee s.
I the house. has declared I'm a
ublic statement that II requires nine II
of careful consideration and a
TO enac proper tariff legisls- Il
This means. If the Michigan a
preventative Is right, that II will be &
time next October or November y
the Fordney-Penrose tariff bill,