The New York herald., 1922-12-04
once a year for a period OF not less than

once year for period OF not less than
three months
ITO maintain an active personnel
afloat In conformity with the. ratios for
capital ships established by The treaty
for the limitation Of naval armament.
ITO maintain the Marine Corps per-
sonnet at strength sufficient for cur
rent requirements.
ITO make every effort, both ashore
and afloat. at home and abroad, to
assist the development Of American in
terests, and especially the American
merchant marine.
ITO create. organize and train a naval
reserve forcef sufficient to provide the
supplementary personnel necessary to
mobilize the fleet and all its auxiliaries.
ITO make the naval reserve secure in
its status and organization as part Of
the navy and to guard its interests.
ITO cultivate q close association OF
officers OF the active navy and >of the
naval reserve.
ITO give to the public all information
not incompatible with military secrecy.
ITO have always In mind that a
system Of outlying naval and commercial
bases suitably distributed. developed and
defended is one Of the most important
elements of national strength"
The Secretary, commenting on the re-
that the Navy Department had been
entirely in sympathy with the pur-
poses of the conference. and predicted
that the benefits Of eliminating COM
petitive navy construction will be real
ICED more and more fully as the years
go. by.
For the, first time in the history OF
our country" he said. "the navy and
Congress have "A definite naval policy
and building and maintenance standard
to work to, standard which is proper
tionate to our position as world
Power. The maintenance Of this stand
ard in all respects is necessary to our
defense and to our prestige.
I'm the past. owing to the lack OF
definite naval policy and to the more
pressing need for building up our naval
strength In capital ships. it has been
impossible to maintain well rounded
navy. ] feel It my duty to report to you
that in certain types such as fast cruis-
ers. aircraft carriers. seagoing sub
marines and aircraft, the navy is defi-
cient.
''It is not my intention this year, hav-
ing in mind the financial condition or
the country. to make any recommenda-
tions for an increase In the navy, but
recommend that as soon as conditions
warrant Congress be asked for such an
increase as will tend to balance our
feet and make and keep 1t the equal OF
any in the world"
The Secretary reported that during
the fiscal year 376 naval vessels, includ-
ing six second line battleships and l7S
first line destroyers. had been placed out
of commission, and continued
''This sweeping reduction was neces-
STATED by the cutting down of the en-
listed strength Of the navy to total
authorized strengh Of $4,000 men. All
the battleships not retained in the treaty
on the limitation of armament. and
number of other vessels. on account OF
their material condition, have been
placed out or ordered out Of commission
to be either scrapped or sold.
IA large number of vessels were de-
with a view to retaining
them in good condition for future SER
vice. The 173 destroyers, first line. are
new vessels constructed dur
ing the war, and great care was taken
in decommissioning them, so that they
should suffer the least possible deteriora-
ton during the period that they will lie
idle at our naval bases at Philadelphia
and San Diego. Cal"
tion for a change ip the law regarding
ment. but he urged that the pending
serve be passed Ito stabilize the reserves
and provide for healthy increase in
their numbers and activities"