Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-18
Friday, November 10, 1921.
WILL PAY AND RECEIVE

ing that the aspirations of mankind
are not to be defeated. either by
plausible suggestions Of postpone
ment or by impracticable counsels of
fection."-Charles Evans Hughes.
Nor does it appear that Secretary
Hughes has overestimated either the
aspirations or the stamina back Of
them. Yet it would be unwse to at
tempt to ignore the probable results
of his proposal, the endorsements
and temporary losses to many thous-
and people, the large numbers that
would be added to the list of unem-
ployed, the training and skill in naval
construction and management which
would be thrown into the scrap along
with the construction that has cost
millions upon millions. Men who
have given the best of their lives to
what they supposed was permanent
profession will have to begin all over
again. Also there are establishments
which have been regarded of national
Importance and interest which in due
time will be obliterated.
Here are some of those doomed, as
reported by the Washington CORE
spondent of the Boston Transcript
although it is likely some will be re-
= tanned for repair purposes:
The Portsmouth Navy Yard at Kit
terry, Me, will be closed \down and
property in all probability disposed
of to the highest bidder.
The Boston Navy Yard will be
closed, and the land will probably re-
vert to the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts.
The New York Navy Yard will be
closed down and sold to the highest
bidder. and the proba is that
General Dawes can get an excellent
price for this parcel of land because
the waterfront in that vicinity is
much congested.
The Charleston, S. c., Navy Yard
will be closed and sold to the highest
bidder and the New Orleans Naval
Station, already inactive will be sold
if a buyer for it can be found. This
will leave us on the Atlantic the
Navy Yard at Philadelphia, the Navy
Yard at Norfolk, Va, and the Naval
Station at Pensacola, headquarters
for the Naval Air Service, and on the
Pacific Coast the Navy Yards at Bre-
merton. Washington and Mare Island
Calf, and possibly the Navy Yard at
San Diego.
The Fore River Shipbuilding Com
pany at Quincy, Mass, will doubtless
shut down its yard, the two scouts
which are now building there being
about the only jobs under way at the
present time.
The New York ShipbuiIding Com
pany at Camden, n. j., would shut
down its plant, as a Japanese supply
ship Is the only job of consequence in
progress there, and that was con-
tracted for by the japanese largely IN
order that our japanese friends could
keep close tabs on the construction OF
the new American man-of-war that
has been building at that yard.
There being no private work at the
Newport News Shipbuilding Com
pany's Yard at Newport News Va.
the adoption of the American propo-
sal would shut down that yard
We must reduce our naval person
mel from one hundred and five thous-
and to eighty thousand cut down the
Naval Academy from twenty-five
hundred mdshipmen to fifteen hun
dred or even less.
We must expect to lose from one
thousand to two thousand of our
ablest naval officers. including a large
number OF the most expert naval con-
struction.
Then, too, there is sacrifice on the
part of this country of what We have
been wont to term prestige, our full
proportion of naval power. Those
who have studied the proposal find
that it would place us, who have beer
recognized as entitled to an equality
in naval strength, in an inferior posi-
ton, for period of ten years. And
all this we offer without reservations
respecting the Pacific problem, with
out any string whatever, although it
must be understood that the offer
presupposes that there will be nc
combination between Japan and Eng
land whereby their fleets would be
unified in opposition to America
While others were discussing the
need of a closed conference America
announced to the delegates and to the
world in the same breath what it was
willing to do. What matters whether
the others discuss it in secret, their
conclusion must be made public.
Such are some Of the sacrifices
WHICH we must make, although it is
not unreasonable to suppose that
time will soften them Those who
lose positions will find others, even
though not so congenial A period of
construction is coming to America,
and the money which would other
wise have been used for armament
may go for merchant vessels. for
highways and waterways, for a
thousand and one things which will
not have to be strapped every ten
years or be demolished by warfare.
Mr.. Kelley of the House committee
on naval affairs estimates that our