The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-12
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMS.

II W VI ASdlNGION, Jan. lz.--INeV
/ MI in the history Of the national
I capital has there been a more
complete shelving of a Cabinet mem
Der than that administered by the
Administration to Secretary of the
Navy Wilbur. He still holds the
tportfo1io, but there is no longer any
thing in 1t.
Between couple Of devils and the
deep blue sea, he stands today
bound and gagged while the conn
| try goes to sleep over the soporific
and soothing bedtime story of all
American Navy the equal of any on
earth.
One. Of the devils is the Admins
tration's financial program which
considers $500, 900 too much too
spend on q vital need OF the Navy
to bring 1t up to the point where It
can shoot as far as the navies OF
Great Britain and Japan. This in a
day Of budgets that deal in billions.
Policy Is Timid
The other devil is the Administra-
tons timid foreign policy which,
while admitting we have the right,
refuses to permit the Navy to ele-
vate the muzzles of its guns In order
to increase their range lest England
be displeased. No other power has
offered objection.
The sea. in the above sinnile, rep.
resents the well-known needs of our
Navy the minimum repairs and ad-l
ditions necessary to it If 1t is to do
the job the country expects it to do.
Admitting that our battleships are
outweighed by the British, are slow
er than the British and are out
ranged byl the British, the Secretary,
testifying before the House Naval
Affairs Committee, was forced to re-
main silent when asked If he had
any recommendations to make to
Congress whereby these vital defects
could be rsmedicd.
He could not talk lest he run coun.
ter to the policies of the Admins
tration of which he is a member.
Situation Revealed
Nevertheless. under the unsparing
questioning of representative Fred
Britten of Illinois, ranking Repub-
lican on the committees; Representa-
tive A. Piatt Andrews. Republican,
Of Massachusetts: Representative
John f. Miller, Republican, Of Seat
tie, and other thoroughly regular
members Of his own party, the real
state Of the Navy was startlingIy
revealed.
1t was made palmer than 1t had
ever been made before, either to
Congress or to the people of the
country. that the so-called 5-5-3
naval ratio arrived at at the Wash
ington conference of 1921 is nothing
but delusion and snare.
All the loyalty in the world to the
Administrators political, foreign
and financial policies did not serve
to hide the truth that the 5-5-3 ratio
has nothing to do with sea power
in general or with the relative fight
ing strength Of the navies of Britain,
America and Japan.
Like the general public. even some
of the Congressman present seemed
to confuse the meaning of the ratio
and take It to mean naval strength.
Time and again Secretary Wilbur
found 1t necessary to set them right.
1t is merely a sort Of ''yardstick."
he said, fol-. measuring tonnage
tonnage and nothing else, like piles
of cold, dead steel. And even then
only capital ships are involved.
VIII Be Short
1t was shown that when some
time next year Great Britain scraps
four Of her older ships and ADDS the
two new ones then to be commits
stoned. the United States will stili
be some 3S.100 tons short OF what
Britain will have afioat. or precisely
the tonnage of one first.class battle
ship.
The committee wore look of pain
and surprise.
Representative Britten made 1t
plain that he does not intend to rest
idle so long as the.-5-5-3 fiction ex-
lists. He tried to induce Secretary
Wilbur to, get behind Congress to
have the range Of guns on our bat
tleships increased. but failed. The
Secretary admitted, when questioned.
that increased range would unques-
tionably go far to overcome British
superiority, but refused to step on
the toes Of president Coolidge and
Secretary of State Hughes.
Representative Brfttens however,
intends to press on Congress the
needle Of carrying out the gun ele-
walton program, at least.
Unless Congress takes the initia-
tive and induces the Administrations
to reverse some of its paralyzing
naval policies. not only will Eng
land soon have us hopelessly dis
tanced, but Japan will take even
second place from us and relegate US
to third.