Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-12-17
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NAVY UNDER PACT
Secretary Wilbur Warns
Congress of Neglect of
Sea Power.

Washington.-Urge recommends
tions that the United States navy be
placed on an equal footing with that
of Great Britain were included in the
report of Secretary Wilbur before the
subcommittee on naval affairs of the
house appropriations committee, made
public here.
Every combat branch of the navy
is discussed i'll the report and indirect
but forced criticism of congress for
allowing this arm of defense to fall
into its present state is implied
throughout the statement.
1T is not too much to say" Mr.. Will
bur states, that the maintenance of
the treaty ratio or, indeed, of any
navy at all, must be the result of
ceaseless vigilance and constant en-
deavor to maintain an up-to-date and
tirst-class navy"
Ratio Means Capital Ships.
The secretary points out that
comparison of the strengths of the
navies is a comparison of capital
ships, because while other craft, in
strategists still consider them as bat
tleship auxiliaries. He declares that
as new defense weapons are evolved
new methods of Notifications for the
capital ship are arranged.
Therefore" he contends, sit is alb
surd to insist that either the aerial
bomb or submarine torpedo has fur
nished the effectual answer to the cap
ital ship, for in order to be a capital
ship it is essential that it be con-
structed to resist these new forms of
attack"
Mr.. Wilbur emphasized the fact
that the treaty ratio of 5-5-3 for the
fleets of Great Britain the United
States and Japan was arranged with
the idea that each power would keep
it's capital ships in fighting trim and
modernize them in accordance with
the treaty. This, he insists, the
United States has not DONE
"We have not as yet availed our
selves of the opportunity to modernize
our ships, as permitted under the
treaty, and thereby preserve the ratio
contemplated" he said. !,
but the most serious loss Of fight
ing ability of our fleet arises from the
fact that the boilers of six of our
older battleships have, as anticipated,
detericrated from age and by reason
of the usual corrosion resulting from
the normal use of such boilers"
He declares that to postpone this
modernization is to gamble on the
chances of war during the next ten
years and to increase the possibility
of such war by that degree of I'M
preparedness" The secretary, in dis
cussing light cruisers with which he
declared other countries are well
equipped, announced 1--WE have none
even authorized"
The report points out that aside
from capital ships, the only method
by which the United States can place
its fleet at the strength authorized by
the treaty would be to clay down and
construct, ship for ship, submarine for
submarine, feet equal to that of
Great Britain and superior to that Of
Japan in the 5-5-3 ratio.'
Not Behind in Aircraft.
Mr.. Wilbur regards the state of the
aerial branch of the fleet as compare
lively satisfactory
I'VE are not behind in aircraft de-
velopment or production.
ut is true that continental United
States could maintain itself without
foreign commerce and without any in
ternational communication. just as it
is true that man could exist with
his arms and legs amputated and his
eyes blinded, but it would not be the
life to which he is accustomed and
which he regards as essential to his
happiness" said the secretary in con-
Guiding his report.