The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-02-16
Secretary of Navy Asks for
Reduction in Number of
Men and Ships.
TO SAVE HUGE SUM
Secretary Asserts that the
Navy Is nder-Manned at
the Present Time.
(By Associated Press Leased wire.)

peared before the house naval commit
tee today to recommend that the navy
personnel for the next fiscal year be
fixed at 10000 men and 5000 appren-
tices as compared with 100000 men
and 5000 apprentices now authorized.
Mr.. DENLY recommended that there be
no reduction in the existing strength
of line officers of the navy; that the
first class at Annapolis be graduated
and commanded but that appointments
to the academy hereafter be reduced
to three for each member of congress
instead of five.
The naval secretary recommended
that 100 destroyers be placed out of
commission. He estimated that the
program he outlined would effect a
saving of $7O,OO0,OOO in next years
budget. His statement pointed out
that since 1919 the wartime naval es-
tabHshment had been reduced from
1852 vessels in commission to 900, the
commissioned personnel from 32,7Q8 to
6,163. and the enlisted force from
48O,723 to 10O999. 1t is not easy, he
said, to get back to normally from
such vast expansion.
Great Britain Has Most Ships.
Mr.. DENLY said the net result of the
naval limitation conference is that
Great Britain is to have % capital
ships. the United States 18 and Japan
10, there being no limitation on aux
iliary combat craft except as to the
size and armament of future vessels.
When the conference opened, DENLY
said, the United States had As battle
ships, 35 cruisers, 317 destroyers, 148
submarines, 1877 auxiliary crafts and
1874 mosquito fleet vessels.
"By the terms of the treaty." he
said, "the United States will have re-
naming 10 battleships, 316 destroyers,
33 cruisers, lat submarines, 1876 auXil-
iaries and 152 small vessels. 1t is clear
that no definite conclusion as to the
future strength of the United States
navy should be reached until ratifca-
ton by the senate Of the pending
treaty because we shall not know abb
solutely until then that the treaty will
become effective. This complexities
the question of personnel"
Mr. DENLY described the status of the
fleet in commission today, showing
that battleships carry about $40 COM
lplement, destroyers from SO to 5000.
and submarines from 1910 up.
Says Navy is Undermined.
at is quite clear that the navy in
enlisted and commissioned personnel is
undermined today" he said. Mr..
DENLY pointed out that until the 81
knot scout cruisers now under con-
struction were completed the navy
would have "no vessel other than the
destroyer capable of making even rs
knots an hour" since the battle cruis-
ers were not to be completed.
"In other words" he said, 1--WE shall
have no scouts. I take it there is no
question as to the completion of these
ten SCOUT cruisers and that the work
will proceed upon them with rapidity
until they are finished"
Mr.. DENLY said navy officers had
"loyally and earnestly" cooperated in
the efforts at national retrenchment.
Since he took Office, he added, 246 ma
val ships had been sold and the money
turned into the treasury and as fur
Their retrenchment step, the naval re-
volving fund of $250,000,000 would be
reduced to $15O,OOO,OOO, the lowest
figure to which it appeared safe to
cut it. The $1OO,OOO,0OO cut of the
funds, he said, would be turned into
the treasury in cash.
Mr.. DENLY said that by placing 100
destroyers out of commission he would
release 6,400 enlisted men and effect q
saving of $13,40O,O00. An additional
5000 enlisted men could be cut off, he
added, in contemplated economies at
shore rations.
ct need scarcely add that if it is
found at any time that we can dispense
with more men with due regard to the
proper insurance of the United States
against that possible attack from
which the treaties do not absolutely
guarantee US, the men will be with
drawn and the ships disposed Of"