Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-09-09
ARTICLE 4.

tation Of Armaments, which ended
with such happy results at Washing
ton, provides for American naval
strength on an equality with that of
Great Britain, Japans In turn being
forty per cent less This is known
popularity as the 5-5-3 naval agree
ment
But there can be no thought Of
naval equality If that equality is to
rest on purely naval ships. a mer-
chant marine is az much a part Of a
nations navy as the capital ships OF
the navy itself The yeriest layman.
If he but stop to consider. viii realize
that in time Of war navy requires
ships for bunkering. ships for supplies.
both Of the cargo and refrigerator
type. to an extent that no navy pos
sesses in time OF peace In addition,
the very backbone OF navy for OF.
fensiye warfare is a merchant marine
of the fast cruiser and raider type.
This was exempifed during the war
by dopredations committed by the
PRINCE ElTEL FREDERICK. KRON
PRINZ FREDERICK WILHELM and
MOHWB. and other fast German mer.
chant ships on the merchant shipping
OF the world II required a wide diver
sion Of British naval ships to run
down finally and drive these German
commerce raiders off the seas Thus
in times of war fast merchant ships
divert the very best OF ships in naval
service.
Merchant Ships Essential To Navy.
When a navy is engaged in either ac-
tive warfare or a blockade at great
distance from the home base. ii requires
an amending merchant fleet OF every
type to keep 1t going fast passenger
ships for raiding, scouting and car
riage Of airplanes: refrigerator ships
for food, tankerB and GOLFERS for
bunkering; and regular cargo ships
for other supplies
We all too well remember that
when President Roosevelt made the
proud gesture involved in the dispatch
~ WI bAAtAR hNHA ~ 0bAAtl Ast' W VI AVA 80
had to be bunkered and supplied in
the Pacific almost entirely by foreign
flag ships our naval giant. while i'm
pressing the world. at the same time
proved its feet were made of clay
Such shame and impotency must
nevet again come to America
In addition 70 our naval needs. the
late war has proved that if an army
Ia TO be transported there must be an
amending merchant marine under our
flag II is through the all too late and
costly realization OF this very need
that We find ourselves in possession OF
our today's Governmentowned neet
Naval Equality Threatened.
II we are to be on anything like a
naval parity with Great Britain under
the $50 program, then there is no
problem before the American people
that presses wore urgently for solu-
ton than the problem OF our merchant
maine As Secretary DENLY has said.
II all naval armament were ended by
world agreement. Great Britain would
be more powerful on the sea than ever
in its history, because its vast mer,
chant marine could be used, if no
other navy existed. for war purposes
as well as 10 meet peace needs.
In the passenger and combination
passengerand-cargo ships, which are
the very backbone OF a merchant ma
rine for wartime needs We are stih
sadly deficient, for our war-built fleet
includes few passenger ships or this
type of ships America has today rs
compared 10 approximately $50 belong
ing to Great Britain. or almost five
times as many such vital ships In
favor of Britain as against ourselves
When age and speed. in addition. are
considered. as considered they must
be the ratio is even higher In favor Of
Great Britain
So that all Thought must he put asid,
that there Is any possibility ~ oUr bvicl
on a 8 ) 3 naval basis with Great byttaiI
uuloSs ana until We have "a national policy
TO insure the merchant marine which must
be added % the tolal ot our navy go uut
the true basis Of relationship t. the uava
actualities Of Great britain To say, with
out such merchant marine that she
Washington conference has resulted VI
naval equality between ourselves and Great
Britain. is 20 display an ignorance that
may be paid fer later Ia the Humiliation
- our country ana az ineNeusahlo sacrifice
- life ana treasure
Merchant vessels Var Need
Because one ~ the major features v
President Hardings program IS the de
yelopment " such merchant marine under
private American initiative he willingly Vu
tered into The Washington pact With Tx
Washington agreement came the cancella
ton ~ many naval ships buildiux and TIE
ten year naval holiday. Unless an Ameh
can merchant marine be created during
chat period. the art ~ shiphunding viii b,
largely lost 20 America aud II wax should
come again. We will ind ourselves st sad
disadvantage to the maritiat nations n
the world whose shipyards have been Kept
alive
The Legislative program proposed by the
Administration ana now before Congress
is deSigu6Si TO meet n one tine both the
naval ami peace needs Of our merchant nus
riue. In the next article SHAH discuss
those peace needs