Evening star., 1933-05-03
A Sound Naval Program.

Two events, not designedly related,
but inseparable in import, are recorded
this week. One is Secretary Swanson's
announcement that the Roosevelt ma
val program calls for the expenditure
of $230,000,000 on five-year construc-
tion program intended to bring the
United States feet nearer to treaty
strength. The other is the candid
declaration by Viscount Ishii, who is
leaving Toxic tomorrow at the outset
OF his mission to America, that Japan
expects at the next naval conference
to ask for higher ratio as regards the
United States and Great Britain than
the sixty per cent now allotted her. Nip
pom, Viscount Ishii indicates. believes
that seventy per cent Of the sea power
possessed, respectively, by the Ameri-
cans and the British is the Lowest mar
gin of safety" with which the Japanese
can afford to be content
With this authoritative indication of
the trend which naval sentiment is
taking in the Far East, there is extraor-
dinary timelineSs in President Roose-
velt's plan to proceed at once with rea-
sonabIe expansion of the United States
Navy. The General Board points out
that while the fleets strength in bat
tleships is satisfactory, this country is
inferior in auXiliaries to both Great
Britain and Japan. Our destroyers in
commission cannot be compared in Ell
fectiveness with those which the Brit
ish and Japanese have built since the
World War. Most of the American de-
stroyerS are obsolescent and some are
obsolete. We are deplorably weak in
DESTROYER leaders. The feet is deficient
in light cruisers of the modern 10000
ton eight-inch-gun type. British and
Japanese submarines of latest pattern
far outstrip the best vessels We possess
in that category.
These being the actual conditions,
little argument should be necessary TO
persuade Congress to enact without de-
lay the naval legislation the President
and the Secretary of the Navy recon-
mend. Comprehended by the Vinson
bill in the House, it calls for thirty ships
to be begun in 1e33-twenty destroyers.
four submarines, five six-inch-gun
7,5O0-ton cruisers and one aircraft car
rier. Construction would be provided
for under the Federal public works pro-
gram by allocating s4e 100000 as the
first of five annual installments required
to see the program through to COM
pletion.
The program, in the Presidents view,
would serve the dual purpose OF national
defense and stimulation Of industry.
Opponents of naval preparedness are
prone to overlook its purely economic
aspect. BY employment of labor on the
diversified materials which enter into
shipbuilding, apart from the building
itself, creation of naval units Is an in
dustrial factor of wide importance.
Secretary Swanson points out that it
Is not certain the $230,000,OO0 called
for will be used. The results of the
Geneva Disarmament Conference may
affect the program. But there is no
reason why construction on it should
not begin at once. Senator Trammen,
Senate Naval chairman, has introduced
a safeguarding amendment to the ap-
preparations bill, whereby building could
be halted by the President whenever an
agreement to limit ornaments is
adopted.
Meantime the earnest purpose of the
United States to develop American sea
power to the extent its worldwide in
terests and the international political
situation warrant may prove to be
spur, rather than a deterrent, in the
direction of relieving sea powers of the
burden of excessive armaments. Until
there is actual achievement in that di-
rection on a pro rata basis resting on
our demonstrable necessities and ir-
reducible requirements, the duty of the
United States is plain-to build up its
feet to the limits permitted by exist
ing agreements.