Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-23
NAVY DAY PLANS
, ORDERED MODIFIED
propaganda" Charges Seen
Behind Changes Suggested
for Speakers.
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CONTINUED From First PageO
quo to treaty levels If We are to avoid
serious handcaps in future armament
conferences.
In the important element Of naval
strength represented by the merchant
marine Great Britain outnumbers us
about to /. In those types of mer-
chant ships suitable for auxiliary cruis-
ers her superiority is much greater and
has been steadily maintained by new
construction.
long Preparation Required.
"Shirs require from one to three years
for the. construction. A modern man.
of-war is a highly developed machine,
requiring expert knowledge along many
diverse lines, including navigation,
steam and electrical engineering, radio,
ship construction, gunnery, military
law and international law. Such knowl-
edge is impaired to naval officers at
Annapolis, where a rigorous course COW
ering four years is given in. the above
subjects This must be supplemented
by additional practical experience on
board ship before they become COM
pletely qualified naval officers. mini
mum of four years is thus required to
produce an embryo naval officer.
while the period that an enlisted
man spends at training station is only
about three months. he. too, must have
experience on board ships before he be-
comes a valuable man-of-War'S man,
and this period will no. be less than
one year.
The London treaty gave to us the
opportunity to build up to parity by
1885. The. interests of our country re-
ouire us to attain parity, but economic
will hlHilAinU
treaty limits by 1886. But by 1910 we
should be well along toward parity.
With rigid economy and actively OPP
Grating only about tWo-thirdS OF the
treaty Navy. we will require some 6,400
officers to man the ships and shore
establishment and some $4,000 men.
Expansion Essential.
"a gradual expansion of both officer
and enlisted personnel is therefore es-
sential
In case Of the men this can be pro-
vided from year to year to furnish nee
essary numbers for ships going into
commission.
In case of officers, it is necessary
that the needs be foreseen and that
they be sent to Annapolis at least four
years before they will be needed for
use on board our ships.
I'VE now are allowed 5499 officers.
BY 1910 We will require at least 6,400
officers an increase of about 900 over
our present authorized strength. This
is an Increase of less than II per cent.
1t is not required at once, but should
be gradually attained. An increase OF
per cent or per cent year until
we reach the required officers Is GER
tainly modest requirement. 1t can
be met by commissioning all the quail
fed Naval Academy graduates and by
MT n Rnnrp-
sentative four appointments to Annap-
oils. TIE law authorizes five. the APP
preparations provide for three only, the
urgent need now is for four.
ut must never be forgotten that Of
ficers are the backbone of the fleet.
Upon them devolveS the necessity OF
training the men. Unframed omcerS
attempting to train men are like the
blind leading the blind.
The modest increase required by the
Navy would scarcely be felt by this
country. 1t would provide the surest
possible guarantee of peace and I'M
restricted overseas trade.
First Line of Defense.
In the event of war it would pro-
vide a first line of defense that could
not fail the Nation.
Present economic depression due to
lack of markets; we cannot dispose OF
our surplus production, hence domestic
prices are depressed and producer
farmer manufacturer miner is unable
to realize enough to keep going
If our overseas trade is cut OF at
any time, a similar condition will be
brought about. Our foreign trade
amounts annually to over $4,000, 0O0,-
900 and in addition we have an ex-
tensive domestic coaStwise trade, part
of which passes through the canal. For
Io Of hi a
safeguarding of our rights as a neutral
on the sea, a Navy equal to that Of the
strongest maritime power is essential"
The chairman of the Navy Day Com
mittee sent to his cohorts throughout
the country, scheduled to deliver
barrage Of oratory extolling the Navy
and its accomplishments, the follow
ing, which accompanies the general
points to be covered by Navy day speak
ers, logically arranged:
The chairman of the Navy Day
Committee in the Navy Department de-
Sires that all officers scheduled to make
Navy day addresses should carefully
avoid controversial matters and should
refrain from directly advocating any
policy which is contrary to the an
nounced policy of the President. This
should in no way restrict speakers in
presenting to their audiences the broad
general picture of the need for Navy,
EhS functions of a Navy or the effect
that may accrue from the failure to
E9aintain a Navy of adequate size. 1t
should permit speakers to stress the
INTERPOLATION between trade and the
Navy. the necessity for the protection
OF commerce, the necessity for a mer-
chant marine, the advantages of build
ing to the limits of the London treaty,
the amount of labor that is involved
in any shipbuilding program and the
widely separated sources from which
material must be drawn and the re-
lation of these to unemployment; the
need for personnel to man the present
and the treaty Navy.
General Thought Outlined.
1T is not desired in any way to
curtail individual initiative, but as
united effort is more -efflcaeiouS than
dispersed effort, there Is accordingly
forwarded herewith a brief outline in
dicating general line of thought which
is suggested to all Navy, day speakers
for emphasis this year"
Then follows the General Points to
Be Covered by Navy Day Speakers,
Logically Arranged"
Even these instructions, in the light
of subsequent developments in the
White House and Navy Department and
before the Bureau of the Budget, have
OCcll COAAoAhCACO AIblC wv Va aoIAS. NOh-
sequently, Admiral Upham has revoked
the suggestion. Now naval observers
believe that the 1891 Navy day program
will be little more than historical re-
1ation of the achievements of the Navy,
with open house held at the various
ships and shore stations, as has been
customary. President Hoover'S vigorous
attitude, accusing the Navy of propa
gandizing. has resulted in trimming
sharply the sails of the original 1881
Navy day craft.