Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-02-25
WARSHIPS DOOMED
TO SCRAP HEAP
Declared Congress Will Not Spend
81 Next Year For Their Mainten-
ance. To Cut DENLY Estimate.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. 2l-Con-
gress will not spend one dollar for
the upkeep next year of old warships
that are unable to contribute to ma
tional defense, Chairman Kelley, of
the Subcommittee on Appropriations
which will frame the new bill, an
nounced today.
Opposing the appropriation of
$350,000.000 asked for by Secretary
DENLY, Chairman Kelley declined to
indicate how much might be cut from
the Secretary's estimate. BY carry
ing out his program of "junking
worthless vessels" it was estimated
by the chairmans associates, how
ever, that the figure would be reduced
to $210,000,000 or possibly $200,000,-
600.
81 believe that Congress will be
willing to furnish the necessary men
and money for that part of the navy
which has a military value" Kelley
declared, "but there are scores of
ships, costing millions every year.
to vote to keep these old ships in
commission, nor will Congress, unless
1t can be shown that they can contri-
butte to our national defense"
Naval Cadets Must Go
Asked how he stood on the question
of turning the $40 members of the
first class at Annapolis back to civil
life in June, Kelley said:
at may be hard, but the first class
will not be commissioned. We will
have to be conservative in cutting
the officer personnel, in this emer-
gency we cannot swap men for boys.
Some of the first class may be taken
in to give a sprinkling of fresh life
and energy, but the wholesale re-
auctions necessary the class will have
to go. Its members have received
fine education, they are ready for the
struggles of life and their loss will
be more sentimental than financial"
The impression was gained from
the chairman that he believes larger
number of destroyers could be laid
up than the 100 mentioned by the
Secretary of the Navy.
"The old rule called for four de-
stroyers for each battleship," he said.
I'VE are to have Is battleships, and
by applying this rue we might get
along with ~ destroyers in active
commission"
This was the number mentioned
last week by Chairman Butler. of the
Naval Committee, as sufficient, in his
opinion.
Enormous Savings Possible
AN enormous saving can be eff
fected in junking old and worthless
ships, especially some of the older
cruisers" said Kelly. "Take the old
Olympia, for example. Last year the
cost of her operation was $1,I79.OOO.
There is fine sentimental demand to
save her, but she ought to be put
some place where there will be no
such tax burden. The old cruiser,
Broohlyn, commissioned in 1896, cost
$79O,OOO last year, ard the Rochester,
commissioned in 1893, cost IL 100000.
Just go on down the line and you
will find other old hulks costing mil
lions of dollars that are not worth a
tinker's damn for defense purposes.
These old craft. with small guns are
back numbers; they can serve no use
full training purposes. We have got
to tie them up"
Kelley said, however, he wanted to
emphasize that there would be no
ruthless cutting of appropriations,
and that new ships which really make
up the treaty navy would be kept in
full commission. The enlisted per-
sonnet total would depend. he said,
upon the number of ancient ships
relegated to the junk heap.
"There will be no new construction
next year." Kelley said, "but S40,-
100000 will be needed to complete
ships allotted by the treaty"