Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-17
ECONOMY AND THE NAVY

When a question. for instance like
this pertaining to the building OF
cruisers and the expenditure on the
Navy Of more money than the
budget calls for, arises. one wishes
for better information, - least for
an unprejudiced statement Of facts
and hardly knows where to look for
It.
OF course the President cannot
look at such a matter in Just the
light In which 1t is viewed by those
intimately connected with the SER
vice; yet experience and knowledge
of human nature forbid placing i'm
plicit confidence in the professional
viewpoint. The President is an in
terested party. He cannot wish to
have an important arm Of the coun-
try's service deteriorate under his
administration or as result Of his
advice. Our present President has
set his face like flint toward the
goal of economy. A public official
doing that may win approval in a
general way and receive criticism III
ell specific cases, even from those
approving the generality. His Is
not a comfortable position. yet it is
one that Is greatly needed in public
affairs.
On the other hand. officers and
men Of the Navy are not the only
interested parties with viewpoint
in conflict with rigid economy.
There are those who deal in sup
plies, there are those who build
ships, there are those with business
ventures predicated on a certain de-
mand for naval facilities and equip
ment. On the face of it their view
can hardly be more d:Jinterested
than that Of the President. More
over, considering the avenues of in
formation at his command we may
not conclude that he is Uniformed
respecting the actual needs of the
service.
The President declares that the
naval ratio agreed upon at the
Washington Conference is not being
sacrificed. He doubtless knows.
Others, who may be as well inform
ed in that respect, would have us
believe the ratio Is being sacrificed,
a position, which does not seem
tenable. He tells us that as Con-
gress has appropriated 100000 for
an experimental, all metal airship
it would be the part Of wisdom to
await the result of that experiment
before committing ourselves to tho
construction Of two dirigibles on the
information we now have, con-
clusion that appeals to us as SEN
sible.
Each side has statements to sup
men of the Navy tell us that the re-
duced appropriation will reduce the
enlisted personnel from S6,000-al-
ready $4,000 below the treaty
strength-to $4,000 and Zee our
Navy on a parity with the Japanese
Navy. This may not shock us to
the extent it might have had we not
recently learned how concerned GER
tain officials and oil men were not
long ago over a threatened attack
from Japan. The cry Of wolf" can
be used too often.
Where lies the right course? We
incline to rely on the Presidents
Judgment. But history shows thai
in times of peace it has been the
habit in this country to neglect
proper maintenance Of Army and
Navy. What with innumerable de-
mands for the dollars of our tax
payers, for this and that, those
which cannot command influence
sometimes fail to get their share.
Neither the Army nor the Navy
hack influence. Indeed we do not
think their present plight need give
US great concern, but it Is possible
that they may suffer from unwise
economy.