New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-07
Navy Suffers
With Dry Rot,
Senator SAY 8
Mr.. King, of Utah, Declares
Submarines Would Not
Be Able to Go to Sea
If Fleet Had to Fight
Investigation Demanded
Charges Young Brains in
Department Have Become
Victims of Bureaucracy
From The Tr,bune's Washington Bureaus

from ne 1TtOhnes warrington bNredu
WASHINGTON, July 6.-Attacking
the submarine policy of the Navy De-
partment in the Senate to-day, Senator
King, of Utah, Democrat and member
of the Naval Affairs Committee, de-
manded that en- investigation into sub
marines be ordered.
He pictured the Navy Department as
being in the grip of bureaucracy
which does not permit brains of
younger officers to produce the best
results. He said it had "dry rot" and
needed Shaking up"
Senator Kings speech was made, in
connection with the conference report
on the Naval Appropriation bill. Sem
ator Poindexter called up this measure
and the Senate ratified part agree
ment with the House and sent nineteen
disputed items back to conference.
This leaves it uncertain when the bill
will be passed, although it is probable
the two Houses will not be long in
reaching an understanding. Meantime
the Navy Department is without money
and has had none since july 1.
The two houses have agreed to Ak
ing the personnel at 100000, to the
S9O,0OO,oOO0 construction program, to
the bureau of aeronautics, to the Borah
amendment for conference on naval
reduction and to numerous propositions
of less moment.
Calls "Divers" Inefficient
whether to authorize construction Of
airplane carriers. several of the pro-
posed new stations on the Pacific Coast,
increased expenditures for battleships
now under construction and the retire
ment pay of officers and men of the
reserve. There was no dispute over
the Borah amendment, requesting the
President to call q disarmament con-
terence, and it's retention in the meas
ure is assured
After discussion about difficulties
OF the Senate conferees in their nego-
tlatlons with the House conferees
Senator King brought up the policy
contemplated by the bill with respect
to submarines. He brought out the
fact that no part of the $90,o00,OOO in
the bill for construction would be en-
ployed by the Navy Department for
new submarines unless Congress put a
mandate in the pending measure.
IF that is the attitude of the de-
partment," said Senator King, Chen
the mandate ought to be given and the
department. required to enter into con-
tracts for six seagoing submarines"
He declared the government had $50
submarines constructed and in process
OF construction, but there is only one
that can go with the fleet and when
the twenty now under construction are
finished the situation will nos be
changed. He cited the testimony of
Re ar Admiral Fullam before the Naval
Committee to back up his statements.
Favors Aircraft
Their engines are bad, their hur1s
are bad, their machinery is bad" said
Senator King eve need a thorough
investigation Of the whole submarine
situation. Let US have a three-plane
navy with adequate submarines and
aircraft"
He declared the Navy Departm by
its policy, was driving Great Britain
to construct super-Hoods, more power
full than any of our ships.
He urged construction of 2,1Oo-ton
submarines capable of going with the
fleet wherever it went. He said if the
fleet had to go to meet an enemy it
would not have submarines, but the
submarines would have to "cling to
shore" Part of the 100000, 900, he
held, should be devoted to submarines.
Charging that American submarines
edo not measure up to those built by
the Germans" he asserted some of the
naval officers had not been willing to