The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-11
WILBUR ASKS
CONGRESS- FOR
HUGE AMOUNT
Five-Year Building Program
Includes Forty-Three
New Cruisers.
BY THOMAS L. STOKES
United Press STAFF Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.-Secre-
tary of Navy Wilbur revealed today
that the $8OO,O0o,O0O building pro-
gram he recommended to Congress
was drafted as tive-year program
for immediate needs of the Navy
and is regarded as only starter.
He advocated a twenty-year pro-
gram of building and replacement
as necessary for national defense
and protection of foreign commerce.
The twenty-year program, he
suggested to the House Naval At
fairs Committee, should provide
forty-three 10,0O0-ton cruisers as
well as additional submarines and
destroyerS. The $800,000,000 pro-
gram, which he urged in particular
today, includes twenty-five cruisers,
thirty-two submarines, nine de-
Stroyer leaders and five aircraft
carriers. The forty-three cruisers
would include the twenty-five pro-
vided in the f1ve-year program.
Is Above So Ratio
Wilbur emphasized the f1ve-year
program means no competitive
building" and is not proposed to
meet building programs Of other
nations. He explained, however,
that it would bring the Navy well
within the equality ratio fixed by
the Washington armament confer
ence as compared with Great Bri-
tain, and slightly above the 5-3
ratio with Japan unless she in
creases her program.
1.-THE insistence of Great Britain
at the recent Geneva conference
upon her absolute need for a large
tonnage of cruisers, regardless of
the naval program Of other pow
ers," he said, sis most persuasive
evidence that we also have definite
needs for cruiser tonnage, regard
less of the program Of other pow
ers, if we are to have a. well-round-
ed fleet for our defense, and also
that such a program is for us in
no sense competitive"
Based on Navy Needs
President Coolidge, he said, is op-
posed to competitive building.
1.-THE program we are now submit
ting to Congress is in no sense COM
petitive, but is based upon the needs
of our navy as it is determined by
the secretary of the navy upon the
technical advice of the general
board of the navy" Wilbur said.
I'VE do not ask you to build a
certain number of tons of each type
Of vessel for the reason that Great
Britain has that number or because
to do so would bring us up to parity
with Great Britain. Nor do we ask
you to construct a certain amount
of tonnage in order that we may be
on the So ratio with Japan"
1t would cost the United States a
billion dollars alone to build 100000
tons of cruisers, the limit proposed
by Great Britain at the Geneva
conference, Wilbur pointed out,
whereas Great Britain could build
the same amount for about $780,
100000.
Sees War Prevention
The forty-three cruisers proposed
in his 20-year building program,
Wilbur said, do mot cover all the
foreign interests or trade routes of
the actual needs.
ITO build enough" he said,
would be too great a burden upon
the nation in its peace time activ-
tiles.
1--WE do believe" he said, that the
number of cruisers proposed in this
bill is a reasonable burden to be
assumed by our Government for the
protection of it's vital interests and
that if the building program here
presented is carried out and supple