Evening star., 1921-04-24
seer ETARY DENBY WANTS NAVY
THAT IS ALWAYS FIT FOR A FIGHT

to find ample reason for the Presi-
dents action. and il is quite probab bic
Mr.. Harding knew his man and did
not act upon recommendation.
! When it is considered that Mr.
| DENLY is lawyer. a former membc:
of Congress and veteran Of two
wars. having risen from private to
rank of major in tho war with Ger
! many. il is easy to see where his
! qualifications come in. He has the
viewpoint Of the congressman. callec
! upon to consider Navy appropria
tons; of the sailor and marine ard
of the officer. having served in all
capacities. He sees the Navy PROB
, lem from the outside. as the public
sees it. and from the inside. as tn.
man in service sees 1t.
! These qua 'ifcations caused Co!
Robert NJ. Thompson. former presi-
dent of the Navy League. to remark
that Mr.. DENLY had entered Office
with four-year advantage over any
other Secretary the Navy has had.
And Col. Thompson apt!y epitomized
the situation.
The Secretary's love Of the Nav
has infected the Navy. When he was
the war his talks 20 marines or
out the service. Now. that re- head.
the Navy. those talks have taken on
new meaning. They were pleas for
truth and justice and love of countr.
principles which are expected 10
guide his actions in Office. The Nav.
is convinced he is going to give it a
square deal His orders tnus ia,
have hinged entirely upon effic:enc:
considerations. and pull and politics
apparently. count for nil with him.
In June che Secretary will max.
another trip. TO witness the effort o.
the air service Of the Army to pu,
the capital ship out Of comm: :ssion.
The bombing test will take place
probably off Cape Hatteras Mr. Dc.l-
by has kept out OF the a.rship-6aitle:
he is confident, the capital shin VII;
come out OF the test with colors Hy-
ing may not be doubted.
Our, naval program should go
through and our Navy should bt
built up" he said. than which ther
could he no better indication of hi.
belief that tho capital ship is here
to stay.
And when you ask why this pro-
gram should go through. think
should. by another question: Why
not" Have We not . coast line i'm.
enough to protect: DO We rot have
possessions vital to our continued
natienal ien a,s sxiSteIee st nee 70 defend in ,he
we need this splendid Insurance.
And the desire for navy ~ big
as that OF any other country in the
world does not mean that we are go
ing to create strife. The only navy
that OF Great Britain
Il think that everybody is per-
fectly agreed that the most horrible
calamity that could now overwh elm
humanity would be a war between
he United States and Great Britain
"It is impossible that any one can
believe 1t can come. .
The mere contemplation Of it's
results, aside altogether from any
other consideration-the mere CON
temptation of the immediate material
consequences to the worlds suf-
iicient to make the thing unspeAka-
bly, horrible.
There are two great merchant
fleets carrying much Of the worlds
food and the other materials that
are vitally necessary to the worlds
continued existence and prosperity.
and. in case Of war between these
two great countries. those fleets. or
at least one. Of them. would be swept
off the sea. And what the utcome
not know" =. =:
Mr.. DENLY considers the time has
up it's mind 10 depend more upon
foresight and less upon luck in
wars. Though the Navy luck is q
tradition of which he is proud, pre-
paredness is his creed and he is go
ing to preach II reliEiously to the
country and to Congress as long as
he remains in ONCE.
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