Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
NAVY MEN IGNORE
FARLEY AT LONDON
U. S. Sailors Go Ahead With
Maneuvers, Knowing That
Their Jobs Are Safe.

Uncle Sans Navy sizzles with real
activity, unmindful of the negotiations
in London to limit future naval con-
struction.
Nearly 100 American men o. war now
are maneuvering in Caribbean and
Canal Zone waters, playing the war
games to keep both men and machinery
in q useful state of preparedness should
any emergency arise. Commanding adj
mirals at headquarters here said yester-
day that the morale of both enlisted and
commissioned personnel was never bet
ter. They feel no qualms about the
flve-power deliberations in London, be-
cause they know these cannot in any
way interfere with their jobs.
Anyway the winds may blow over in
London, the United States will have to
build up to parity with Great Britain's
navy. That means there will be jobs
not only for those men now assigned to
sea duty. but for many others. Even
should the conference adopt q limita-
ton program, about 900 additional ON
GERS and 1000 more enlisted men will
be needed to man the new vessels now
under construction In accordance with
the terms Of the Washington confer
ence Of 1921.
Phantom Battles Are Staged.
The feet concentration in southern
waters Is being carried out just as If
there were no conference. With one
feet pitted against the other, fianked by
the most modern arm OF naval war
fare-the airplane-theee maneuvers
actually simulate major naval engage
rnentS as they would occur today. On
the surface, overhead and below the
water, phantom battles are being staged.
The maneuverS extend over q period
of five months. They began on Janu-
airy 8, when so vessels of the Atlantic
Fleet sailed from their home ports for
southern waters. The battle feet did
not start from its base in the San Diego
San Pedro area until February 10, sail
ing for the Canal Zone. Both the
fleets engaged In tactical and gunnery
Exercises en- route.
Get Liberty in New York.
Last week the combined feet began
its first feet problem, which will con-
tinue until March 8, in the Caribbean
Sea. When this is concluded the meets
will engage in tactical exercises with
periods for overhaul, supply, athletics
and critique Of the feet problems.
From April to Is ships OF both meets
following week will get down TO serious
business again. On April ID the ships
will sail for New York, where they Will
remain from May to Is, while officers
and men are granted leave and liberty.
Upon completion of the freedom of-port
neriod they will set sail for Hampton
Roads to remain there until the con-
centration ends, May IS. when the YES
sells of the battle feet will return to the
vTAet COaNf
Plans for the 1880 problem were
worked out more than year ago, 1t
was disclosed at headquarters. The
original schedule Is being followed TO
the letter, the London conference to
the contrary notwithstanding.
One admiral made q few phnoso.
phical observations about the perennial
verbal warfare between pacif1sts ana
rotagonistS of an adequate navy, in
the light Of the London parley.
I'VE naval ofi1cers," he said, believe
in limitation Of naval ornaments by
agreement-not by example. The pact-
fists believe in limitation by example.
They would have US scrap our warships,
such as they are, and leave it optional
with other nations to follow suit.
Great Reduction Held Dangerous.
'It would be dangerous to our ma
tional defense to reduce the Navy too
far, because an up-to-date merchant
marine can be converted overnight
into a bang-up war fleet. Foreign ma
tions, notably England and Germany,
than we. The proportion is 10 to l in
favor Of England in the kind of ships
that could be made into cruisers"
(Copyright, 1900