The New York herald., 1921-12-09
American Fleets Coal to
Last Only to March l.,
Due to Short Funds.
OTHER PRUNING RUINOUS
Shortage Of Men May Make 1t
Impossible to Man New
War Vessels.
by eraser ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Dec. 4.

Special Despatch to THE New York HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Dec. 8.
A thing has just happened which
has had most depressing effect on
the American position in the arms
conference. The naval estimates in
sufficient funds efficiently to maintain
the navy as it will be under the
Hughes plan. That fact has been hav-
ics bad effect on both the efficiency
and the morale of the members of
the service as we'll as upon those con-
nected with the conference.
The Hughes plan provided for suffi-
Client protection for each nation, with
that protection cut to the bone. But
it now appears that Congress will
not recognize the need even Of this
cut to the bone protection. The pres
ent shortage of fuel and men in the
navy is serious. 1t is now definite
that there will be no combined fleet
maneuvres this year.
Contrast that fact with the fact that
Japan intends to carry out the most
extensive maneuvres in its history
and that the usual complete British
manmuvres will take place. The United
States is just at the start of what may
terminate into the creates naval debacle
OF is history
Some time ego I pointed out that the
navy was not up to Its quota of men
and that both fleets were suffering
severely in consequence. 1t is now
apparent that even more men must be
discharged 10 make ends meet at the
end of this fiscal year. The present
naval strength OF 10000 men will have
to be reduced.
Crews Lacking for New Ships.
The budget plan for the fiscal year
of 1923 provides for the same number
OF men, and under the Hughes plan a
number of ships of new types will be
continued and go into commission with
no full crews to man them. Other ships
compliments will have to be cut to
get even the reduced crews. and then
after the ships are in commission there
will be scarcely any fuel with which
to run them.
In the last naval bill s37, oo0Ooo was
asked for fuel That is not great
amount when it Is placed beside the
war appropriations. and neither is 1t
even a moderately great amount when
placed alongside of some of the more
useless items carried in other bills
passed by Congress. The Senate hop
ing for q reasonable compromise. cut
the item to s25, 900 in the expectation
that a slight deficiency might result.
But the House cut the item to 81, coo. 600
and so there is not enough fuel to
carry the fleet through until March l,
even without manuuvres. How the
! navy is going to exist after March !
no one knows.
Under the budget there is the prospect
of curtailed target practice, man1uvres
and host of other things. Basing IA
ciities which are very badly needed by
the fleet on the Pacific are not provided
for The divided feet has been Sc
verely criticised, but such criticism is
unfounded The combined fleet cannot
be maintained IN the Pacific because
there are no basing facilities The sup
posed bases practically do not exist and
nothing is on the calendar to make them
of value.
Aviation Item Too Small.
There are few good features in the
is provided for naval aviation. while
double the amount could have been used
The total is regarded as almost suffi-
cient to a cut to the bone fleet. If the
budget goes through in total we may
still continue slowly with the ships
under construction. quite necessary
thing because of the conference. The
British are continuing their construction
of light cruisers and other craft, and 1t
is understood that the Japanese are
rushing their capital ships to compile
tion. As long as there is a race for
armaments, should not America keep
abreast of the times so foreign nations
may have added reasons for accepting
the Hughes plan?
At present the United States needs a
force OF 10000 men to give crews to
ships which are to be maintained under
the Hughes plan. Next year a few
thousand more will be needed because
Of new ships going into commission.
More fuel will be needed next year,
before the end of this fiscal year In
fact because the sl7,00o00O appropriation
has been practically exhausted already.
with seven months more to 60 The
navy asked for s57, 100000 as the lowest
figure possible, and 10 is working out