Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-21
is u. S. NAVY
GOING TO BE
A LAME DUCK
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

| WaSfllHSLOH, -. ~, ApTll GU,-
Aside from its purely humanitar-
ian aspects, one of the reasons
for conference for the limitation
of ornaments, recently concluded
| in Washington. was economy Con-
gress has taken the economy fac
| tor so to heart that it is now
maintained that if the naval APP
preparation bill in it's present form
becomes law, the United States
will be in naval power consider
ably below the place it is sup
posed to hold, for defensive pur-
poses, in the so-called "5- 81"
ratio.
The basis Of the ratio is capital
fighting ships-super- dreadnaughts
and modern battle cruisers. Yet it
Is elementary that the most pow
erful fleet in the world, without
the proper, trained complement of
men, Is of little or no use as O.
unit of defense or offense. And
there, opponents of the bill now
in congress maintain, is the weak
ness and the threat TO the United
States.
Navy department experts main
tain that to keep the navy in a
state of efficiency, at the strength
in ships which is allowed by the
four power treaty, a naval per-
sonnet of no less than $4,000
should be provided for by legis-
lation. That is the minimum, and
for maximum efficiency and to
provide for all emergencies the
country might face, 10000 men
are required according to naval
experts. .5
The treaty into which America
has entered allows the United
States to keep Is capital fighting
ships of modern type. 1t is esti-
mated that with the $1,000 per-
sonnet provided by the naval bill
now before congress. only 13 of
these vessels could be kept in
commission. The other five ships
would be lin ordinary" which
means that 200 men would be
kept aboard each one to keep
them from being utterly ruined.
The japanese navy, supposed to
have but three-fifths of the
strength of the American naval
forces, will have a personnel of
more than $4,000 men. Great
Britain, limited to the same num-
Der of capital ships as the
United States, will have a naval
personnel totalling about 1884,
coo men. The ships themselves
mean nothing. nor do the guns,
with no one to operate them.
Destroyers Hampercd.
Not only will the men to man
the big ships be lacking if the
1 present measure becomes law. but
t the manning of auxiliary craft
/ will be impaired practically to the
same extent. To operate battle-
ships with efficiency, destroyers
and vessels of other types must
be operated with them. The navy
| department estimates that with
the personnel suggested, it will
be possible to keep in commission
naval tonnage of 1903, l4S, while
! Japan, although on paper having
but three-fifths the strength of
/ the American navy. will be able
| to maintain 100000 tons in COM
mission--to all intents and pur-
poses. a navy quite the equal of
| the American strength.
The argument of the propon-
| ents of the smaller personnel that
| destroyers are not vitality needed
| is answered by the naval ex-
perts with the fact that the
United States is practically with
out any light cruisers. Other
naval powers do not suffer from
this lack. In the event of trouble,
the United States must depend
upon it's destroyers to function as
| light cruisers as well. They must
be scouts for the fleet, carry on
| the service of information, develop
! the enemy attack, and screen the
fleet. Until light cruisers are COM
pleted and in commission, fully
manned, the navy department ex-
perts claim, it is entirely i'm
proper even to discuss a reduction
| in the number of destroyers which
must be kept in full readiness al
| ways.
Theodore Roosevelt, assistant
secretary of the navy, contends tina
the naval reserve cannot be main
tanned and built UP under the bill
now in congress. The possibility of
manning eagle boats and sub
marine chasers Is eliminated by the
measure, he says, and this cuts off
q very important adjunct of the
navy.
Naval Reserves Important.
| "When the emergency arises and
| the fleet has to be expanded quick
ly, a trained naval reserve cuts
months from the time necessary to
put our fleet on a war footing
saws Col. Roosevelt. Furthermore.
we pride ourselves iustifiably or
the fact that in all times of ma
tionaI need, our young civilians
rally to the colors. If they are
to do so efficiently, IL they are to
have "a show for their white alley,
we must give them an opportunity
for training. We cannot do this
under the present bill"
Col. Roosevelt calls the estab-
lishment under the proposed per
sonnet flame duck navy. BY
the bill. pride. safety, and influ-
ence of this nation are put in seri-
GUS Jeopardy, he believes.
The naval situation is viewed as
more serious than it appears to be
on the SURFACE. The things the de-
partment wants included in the
bill are not things that can readily
be created in time of trouble. Just
as a national army. of trained
civilians, such as was proposed by
Lindley M. Garrison when he wa
secretary Of war, undoubtedly
would have met the need for train
ed men and officers particularly
the latter--in the world war, so q
TRAINED naval reserve would be
of inestimable value should wal
come again.
1t is a generally admitted fac1
that few hundred thousand mer
with basic military training would
have meant putting American
troops into the trenches in France
months sooner than was the case
where men had to be drilled and
made soldiers from the ground
up in the many training camps
throughout the country. The fresh
troops from this country in large
| ~, ~, hayc cont aoroSc af m aarliar