New Britain herald., 1927-10-11
WILBUR PLANNING
 FOR LARGER NAVY
May Ask Congress to "MOdern,
 ize" Five More BattIeships
AN EDUCATIONAL ASSET
secretary Believes Naval Training of Great Advantage To Youth of Nation and Its Standard An Aid To Industry.

Washington, Oct. fl UP)-rhe navy department wants authority to
 mod"rnlzr' five more batt:cships. bringing the total modernized craft Of this class 10 thirteen. II also intends 10 present the e-Geneya secret building program of it's gen. "ral board approved by Secretary of Navy Curtis p. Wilbur. for budget and congress action in view of the failure of the Geneva conference
 Secretary Wilbur today revealed thls much of the nayy's plans for upbulldlng Of the American sea forces: and coupled it. in a United Press interview, with statement to the nation that he views the navy as q great national "eduCarion as- set imbued with spirit of sery- ice' and rounding out educations of many youths annually. For q CoIn- try so enthusiastic over education as ours. the navy offers opportunities for learning which must be taken into consideration when one begins fo deal with the cold figures Of ion mage and costs Of defense insurance. he suggested.
 Nodcrnization Complicated
 The modernization process for hattleships in altering the vessels 10 cope with the modern aerial and long range gun menace. Ii mjeh, b' described 10 the layman as a pro- cess of building ship around snip"
 Tn" ship Is protected from above by reinforcing 1t Horizontally. It is shielded from torpedocs or from the long range gun whose missile curves doWhWard as il strikes. by building a sort of protective skin" about the 'hip The Washington conference permitted these changes: and now Secretary Wilbur would have thc work amplitied by adding five more ships to the list of those either all ready modernized or about to b.. Incidentally the coal burner system has been replaced by oil burners and he cage mast has been replaced by he tripod mast.
 AS for the coming navy building program, Secretary Wilbur stated il" department proposes to present O the budget the secret plan davel- 'p"d before Geneva. This will be irtually unchanged. Its details 'annot be revealed before the budget las passed on them.
 Had Building Program.
 Before the Geneva conference vas called. We had a building pro- ,ram made by the general board md approved by the secretary" he aid. Fl IS our plan to present hat 10 the budget without modif- auon except for changes due 10 hanges in construction by other covers. II is distinctly adapted 10 'ur own needs though these are omeWhat dependent upon the un- ."rtaklngs or other navies."
 Less Than Britain'S Power
 The general understanding in In ormed quarters here has been that he navy would seek 1o moro 10000 , on cruisers in view Of the failure f the Geneva conference To reach .
 limitation agreement. The |. $. oW has two l0.000-ton cruisers and K other Io.oHo-ton cruisers built. ulding or authorized in addition 10 Q ,.5oo-ton cruisers. With the sug- . csted new 1o,000-ton craft. the |. [ , modern cruiser strength would be | bout 250,0no tons compared with | modern cruiser streucth of | %2,coo tons. Americas excess of de troyers would tend to offset Brit ms cruiser tonnage superiority.
 lt IS not wholly the subject of tons . nd dollars that engrosscs Wilbur. he human side of this big fighting lachine appeals to him. The six foot alfornian, mild mannorad cour- 'ous and frank, was chief justice in i allfornia hofor" ho came here To IS post. He also was Bible class 'acher and interested i'll juvenile | ourt work, So questions Of the hu- ian equation and particularly Of iucauon have ong interested him.
 Educational Asset
 T h"lieve,' he said, that we have the navy a great educational as at. I do not believe that the country enerally has appreciated that. nor O ] believe that navy officers them. lives have always fully understood he significance Of this side Of the ayy.
 Nlth four-year enlistment and ith roughly lon.oOn men in tho i,
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