The New York herald., 1921-12-26
NAVY FACES TIEUP
AS FUEL DWINDLES
Supply to Be Exhausted
January Is, Asserts Naval
Expert.
by eraser ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

BY eraser SCHORNSTHEIMER
Special Dispatch to THE New YoRK HERALD.
New York HernId Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., Dec. 25.
Some time ago wrote that by March
the fuel for the United States Navy
would be exhausted. / was wrong The
fuel will be used up by about the middle
of next month. according to the present
outlook. Unless there is some way in
which the navy can buy. beg or steal
fuel. our ships practically will be tied
up after January Is. There is no fuel
item In the new deficiency bill.
In last years estimates the Navy De-
of SS7,000.000 for fuel for the fiscal
year. To some this may seem like a
tremendous sum, but when 1t Is con-
sdered that even port movements cost
about s13.00o,000 each year and that
tho estimate took into consideration
several other items. such as the investi-
cation Of the Alaska coal fields, 1t can
not be said TO be so enormous.
The estimates went to Congress. In
the Senate there was bitter fight. In
the end Senator Poindexter obtained a
compromise which reduced the appro-
priation to s25. 900. The Senator ex-
pected there would be a deficiency for
the navy's fuel bill unless the price of
coal and oil went down considerably.
Then the bill went to the House. The
usual hue and cry of economy. and the
senselessness of navy. anyhow, was
raised with the result that the appro-
priation was cut to not more than VIZ
5O0.G 600. When it Is remembered that
only about $14.000.000 of this was ac-
tually for fuel for the fleet. the alb
surdity Of the appropriation becomes ap-
parent. The bill finally became law
at this figure.
SIX and a half months will have
passed before this fuel will be exhausted
in the duties provided by Congress. This
is at about the rate the Navy said 1t
v ould CO. There can be no claim that
fuel was used wastefully The writer has
examined the figures on the subject and
believes if fuel ever was sparlngly used
in any Navy In the world it was so
used these last months in our Navy.
Never has fuel been so stringently ac-
counted for Orders were issued to per-
nit our ships to steam at only the most
economical speeds.
Now the ships are on their last tanks
of oil and no relief Is In sight. We
have ships in home waters. ships in
European, Asiatic and Central Ameri-
can waters on special duty for the State
Department. What will happen to them
when their fuel tanks are empty and
they have no authority to purchase oil
to return home?
Our fleet, II is understood, will have
no maneuvers this year. due. of course.
20 the shortage Of fuel as set by Con-
gress. Possibly the shortage OF men.
also as set by Congress. has something
to do with it. We only can notice the
extensive naneuvers of the British.
japanese and French fleets. Although
on the brink Of financial ruin. these
nations are able to supply their ships
with fuel and men. They do not intend
to have their fleets lose their efficiency.
But the poor United States must face
this.
There is only one ray OF light through
the darkness. Under the law expendi-
tures may be ordered by some authori-
ties for fuel and charged to deficiencies
when the best interests of the nation
warrant 1t. It is hoped that some action
of this kind will be taken.
It should be remembered that at one
time ]. p Morgan & Co. financed the
Navy for several months because Con-
gress would not provide the money. Our
economical Navy then was regarded as
n good risk.