Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-03-03
Ry EDWARD B. CLARK.

BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Washington.-Doc of medicine
are not the only ones who disagree
on occasion. Just now the doctors
of the navy in Washington are as far
apart as Byzantium from Spain on IL
proper future navy policy. One set
Of doctors says build big battleships,' y
while another says "scrup 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
part, stands alone in its contention for
battleship building.
Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, U. 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 greater air fleet and not greater
navy as represented by big battle
ships.
Rear Admiral William S. Sims, who
during the war was commander of the
American naval forces in European
waters and who has been considered
an authority on sea matters for many |
years, stands with General Mitchell in
his contentious that the greater need |
Of the country is big air fleet and
y not a greater fleet of dreadnaughts.
Sueoinetls. General Mitchell has said
our sirs1sfft stfyfIn.t II iiitlSt Je~suf1erior
or 1--WE will be shot ont Af the water."
Most of the senators do not agree
with Admiral Sims and General
Mitchell. The program for great
navy unquestionably eventually is to
be put through. Unless war shall
come, no one perhaps ever may know
which of the two cOntcnding factions
was right in its position on this sea
fleet and air-ileet matter, but it IS Dos
sible that even in peace time the
dreadnaughts Of sea and land may be
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,
it is possible that the United States |.
Immediately would cancel the provi-
sions Of tho battleship program. OF
course. no one says that this is the :,
renson that the United States is going
ahead with the work, but there is Il
feeling that 50 long as one nation
with WhDlt ho~Hlities are a possibility,
even thouah remote possibility, is :
building, the United Stutes must be
prepared ia meet possibilities
The other might at the army and J.
Navy club The writer had a few min i
utes' talk Ui,a General Mitchell. The
differences of opinion on the battle
ship and alr-llcet subjects We're not
discussed hul General Mitchell said J.
that today the men in the air could >
drop bombs SO as to hit II small mark, u
and could do il time after time, so to
speak, hand-rUuning. d
Those of the navy who believe in II
big battlcshii,S bclittle the claim of II
the air fret men that the great craft :.
can be put out Of business in short Il
order, and they also reject the opin- IL IL
ions of their own chief naval officer on -
this subject, Rear Admiral Sims
The navy men who do not think y
that aircraft can "do their big ships
up" certainly have the courage of !"
their sailor convictions. 1t has been "
that some obsolete or near q
obsolete battleShip be towed to sen io
and that test lie made of the abl- W
ty of the airplanc men to hit them l.
with their bombs. or course the ships u
would he maueuyored as they would tn
be In Il battle against airplanes. 1t
Officers Defy the Air Bombers.
Touching the matter Of the courage III
If the convictions Of the naval officers ct
Who believe that the day of the big III
ships is not ended, II may be said III
hat they have agreed 10 man n big TO
and to let the air fleet try IN
o "get them with actual high cxplo- pa
i've bombs, II is not likely that this pe
'frer will be accepted but IL shows
he confidence, Of the navy men that az
heir mir hretlTen cannot do what m
hey suy they can do. Sc
II Is probable That before long some er
whose usefulness is gone ho
will he towcd to sea, there to become is
target for real bombs from on high. tn
'he object Of these tests WIN be def. sit
litely to determine what alrplane Su
'ombs can do to big shin hitting II IN,