Evening star., 1933-09-20
HENRY ROOSEVELT
ASKS BIG FLEET
Assistant Secretary of Navy
Cites Ship Shortage to
Answer Critics.

Declaring attacks on the naval build
ing program are unjustified, Henry L.
Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy. called for maintenance OF a pow
erful American fleet In an address last
night in the National Radio Forum,
arranged by The Start and brc adcast
over a coast-to-coast network OF the
National Broadcasting Co.
Roosevelt's defense Of the naval build
ing project to be undertaken with public
works funds came on the heels OF re-
ports that Great Britain Is seeking to
have America abandon the program on
the ground that it may start naval
race.
without referring directly to these
reports. the Assistant Secretary said:
lone hears criticisms Of our present
naval building policy. We are told that
it Is of paramount Importance to the
success Of the Limitation of Arms Con-
ference at Geneva to postpone the
building of certain Of the projected
ships We are warned that our pulId-
ing program might set a bad example
to the other naval powers and might
encourage another naval race.
Shortage Cited.
"How unjustified is this assertion can
DC SSell 1lOll VIC AoSe sAAHs Sy
when our new program Is completed,
we shall still be 101 vessels short OF our
authorized strength, Great Britain will
be 64 ships short and Japan will nave
in commission its full quota.
Pointing out that the United states
has "a huge stake at sea-" Roosevelt
said the American Navy must be Kept
powerful enough to protect our extensive
shipping lanes. to defend the country
and its possessions against raids by sea
or air and to discourage attacks.
He described as absurd" suggestions
that airplanes have rendered the fleet
obsolete Present planes are incapable
of carrying bombs across the oceans Tor
an attack. he said, ships being neces-
sary to bring them close enough to our
shores for q raid.
Text of Address.
The text of Roosevelt's speech follows:
During this period Of world restless
ness. due to a multitude Of causes such
as economic upheavals, stagnation OF
business and unemployment with all its
inherent consequences. the question
must naturally arise in the mind OF
any well wishing American:
"Is the first line Of defense adequate?"
Before the World War nations were
nationally minded and were building
I'D their national defenses in accord
ance with their needs and financial
capacities. Since the World War .
new philosophy has prevailed among
the statesmen Of the world. They have
propounded the idea Of each nation
building up its defense in relation to
the others. The result of this trend
Of" thought was the Washington and
London treaties, whereby our Navy was
limited to 1,136,000 tons. Under the
provisions OF those treaties the United
States is allowed Navy second to none
In strength. This Is the answer Is to
what constitutes an adequate Navy for
the United States.
For some years the approved funda-
mental naval policy Of the United
States has been to maintain the Navy
in sufficient strength to support tho
Nations policy In commerce and to
guard the continental and overseas
possessions Of the United States.
Role of the Navy.
What is the role Of the American
NAVY? Primarily, we must have Navy
strong enough to safeguard our country
and its institutions against any con-
tingency Secondly, We must have a
Navy to support the traditional policies
and to protect our legitimate interests
throughout the world in case Of war be-
tween other powers or combination OF
powers in which We remain neutral.
The value Of our coastwise commerce
alone amounts to nearly flve billion
dollars in normal years. To this must
be added upwards Of seven billions to
reach figures representing our huge
stake at sea. When this great tranlc
stops all forms Of business ashore are
seriously dislocated and much Of It IS
dried up. Only the Navy can keep us
from having our sea lanes blocked and
can thus afford us the economic life
insurance which is the main function
Of naVieS.
What should every American expect
of our Navy If war should be forced
upon us? First. that it protect our
safeguard you and yours from the hor-
rors of warfare waged on the soil Of
the United States. Second, that 1t pro-
tect the great trade routes essential
to the continuance Of our economic life.
Third, that it protect the Panama
Canal and outlying possessions of our
country against isolation and capture.
Fourth, that 1t should be sufficiently
strong to discourage any attack against
the United States. Fifth, that 1t must
be our first line Of defense against
enemy air raids or attacks by sea. These
are the essential functions Of the Navy
in the event we should be attacked.
wish to lay especial emphasis upon
the value of the Navy as protection
against air raids because Of the absurd
efforts which have been made to per-
suade the country that the advent OF
air power has made navies obsolete.
More Indispensable.
The truth is exactly opposite. The
new menace from the air makes our
Navy more indispensable than ever.
This Is true because any serious air
attack against US must first come In
ships to within striking distance Of our
coast, certainly to within a thousand
miles. Only the Navy can defeat or
drive of the ships which might bring
the planes, together with their large
supplies OF fuel, bombs, ETC., and If the
Navy does this we will be spared the
ND@ e q