Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-21
THE NAVY---BIG OR LITTLE?
BY Frederic J. HaskIn

washington. April 21 Aside from its
purely humanitarian aspects. one on
tbs reaxuns for tho Conference for
the Limitation OF Armaments. recent
ly concluded in Washington. was econ
omy. Congress has taken the economy
factor 80 TO heart that 1t is now msin-
tained that II the naval appropriation
bill in It's present form becomes law.
the United States will be In naval
power considerably below the place
| IL IN supposed 10 hold, for defensive
purposes. I'm the so-called "5-5-3" ratio
The bnsis Of the ratio is capital
fighting ships-super-d er-dreadnaughts
and rnodern battle cruisers. Yet IL Is
elementary that the most powerful
feet in the world, without the proper,
trained complement OF men, is OF 1T
tie or no use as a unit OF detehse OF
offense. And there, opponents OF the
| bill now IN Congress maintain - ths
weakness and the threat 10 the uniteo
Stntes.
/ Navy Department experts maintain
that 10 keep the Navy In state OF
efficiency. at the strength In ships
which IL allowed by the four power
treaty. naval personnel Of no less
than $1,000 should be provided for oy
Legislation. That Is tho minimum. and
for maximum efficiency and 70 provide
for all ernergencios the country might
face, 600 men are required accord
ing to naval experts.
The treaty into which America has
entered allows the United States 20
keep is capital fighting 6hips Of mod
era type. II is estimated that with
the $1,000 personnel provided by the
naval bill now before Congress, only
li3 Of these vessels could be kept in
! commission. The other FIVE ships would
be in ordinary which means that 200
men would DO kept aboard each one
% keep them from being utterly
ruined. The Japanese Navy, supposed
. 90 have but three -ffths Of the strength
OF the American naval forces. Will have
"A personnel OF more than $1,000 men.
Great Britain, limited 10 the same
number Of capital ships az the United
states. win have a naval personnel
totaiIing about 100000 men. The ships
themselves mean nothing. nor do the
guns. with no one to operate them.
N Deshoyers hampefec.
e Not only win the men TO man the
big ships be lacking II the presen
le measure becomes law. but the man
AZ ming Of auxiliary craft VIII be impaired
:, practically 20 the same extent. To op
is crate battleships with efficiency. de
"a stroyers and vessels OF other type
9 must be operated with them. The Nav,
.h Department estimates that with IN
in personnel suggested, It will be posi-
"a ble to keep in commission q nave
~. tonnage Of 703 lab. while Japan, al
ne though on paper having but three
n" hfths the strength Of the America
Gs Navy, will be able to maintain 5000
tons in commission--to all intents an
80 purposes, a Navy quite the equal
%T the American strength.
The argument OF the proponents
ny the smaller personnel that destroyer
IN are not vitality needed Is answered /
IL the naval experts with the fact ths
sc the United States Is practically with
Ds out any light cruisers. Other nav
eo powers do not suffer from this lac
In the event OF trouble, the Unite
in States must depend upon It's destro.
on ers TO function az light cruisers {
w. we'll. They must be scouts for q
on feet. carry on the service OF inforni
en- uou, develop the enemy attack, al
ras screen the fleet. Until light cruise
cid are completed and IN comrnissio
ed fully manned, the Navy Departme
his experts claim, it is entirely improp
"a, even TO discuss a reduction in Z
number OF destroyers which must
kept IN full readiness always.
Ney Theodore Roosevelt. Assistant Sc
ouI retary of the Navy. contends tn
~ the Naval Reserve cannot be mai
tanned and built up under the bill n,
ger in Congress. The possibility OF ma
ming eagle boats and submari
. chasers Is eliminated by the measu
Il he says. and this cuts off a very il
Il portant adjunct Of the Navy.
II Naval Reserves Important.
II When the emergency arises a
the fleet has 70 be expanded quick
a trained Naval Reserve cuts mont
from the time necessary to put c
fleet on q war footing" says c
Roosevelt. Furthermore, we pride o,
selves tustifably on the fact that
all times OF national need. our YOU
civilians rally TO the colors. II III
are to do so efficiently. II they ,
TO have a show for their white
ley We must give them an opportu
~ for training. We cannot do I
under the present bill"
Col. Roosevelt calls the establi,
ment under the proposed person
lame duck" Navy. BY the bill. uri
safety. and influence Of this nation ,
put in serious jeopardy. he believes
II The naval situation is viewed as IN.
serious than it appears TO be on
surface. The things the Departr,
wants included in the bill are
things that can readily be created
time OF trouble. Just as a "Natio
: Army" OF trained civilians such
l was proposed by Lindley NJ. Carr.
when he was Secretary Of War. ,
/ doubtedly would have met the N
4 for trained men and ofHcers-parti
larly the latter--in the World War
l a trained Naval Reserve would
i Of inestimable value should war co
;. again.
Ii is generally admitted fact 4
a few hundred thousand men "A
: basic military training would h,
meant putting American troops I
= the trenches in France months 500
/, than was the ease. where men had