The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-11-21

The League Of Nations is even now
trying to take some of Mussolini's
steam out Of him by the application
Of sanctions until he decides it is time
to halt his invasion of Ethiopia. 1t
Is not beyond the realm of possibility
that these sanctions will have to be
enforced through the use Of a naval
blockade. Prime Minister Baldwin
has openly reminded his country of
such possibility. He has also said
that Great Britain would have no part
of any such blockade without know
ing exactly how the United States
stands with respect to it. The league
itself has been apprehensive on that
point and has asked the United States
to define it's position, without having
obtained a clear answer, as this Is
being written.
How Navies Might Meet.
If member nations of the league re-
fuse to sell goods to Italy, will the
United States increase its Italian ex-
ports? Suppose ships carrying our
goods are refused entry into Italy by
the blockade: would our fleet step in
and attempt to break the blockade?
In such case our navy might well be
operating against Britain.
Meanwhile, there is quite a move
ment afoot here at home to clear up
our own naval policy. The growth Of
our navy has been spasmodic and with
out a clearly defined objective for
many years.
The start of the World war caught
our navy quite unprepared. We were
forced to build a fleet of very great
size in big hurry; naturally, the
cost was much more than it should
have been. In the early years fol-
lowing the war the navy was allowed
to decline to great extent. This was
only following the traditions created
by our government in the years imme-
diately following other wars.
Our Spasmodic Building.
The Washington treaty was signed
in 1922. In the eight years after that
we laid down only 81 men-o'-war, and
these were the result of periodic bursts
of enthusiastic building, rather than
of a carefully scheduled plan. During
that same period, much of our war
time fleet became obsolete, but we
did not make requirements. We were
place in naval strength. for during the
years between 1922 and 1890 Great
Britain built Sc ships and Japan built
125.
The policy of Anglo-American parity
was extended in 1880 at London, but
for us the parity was purely theoreti-
cal, for we did not actually build up
to 1t at all.
Now since the advent of the Roose-
Welt administration, the Vinson-Tra-
NELL bill has definitely approved naval
construction up to the parity principle,
authorizing the building of planes and
ships to make parity fact.
The STANDBY Plan.
Besides this, the alert and able Ad-
miral William a. STANDBY, chief of
naval operations of the United States.
has outlined and actually begun to put
into practice a plan which gives the
nation more definite naval policy
than it has ever had before. The
STANDBY plan is only the beginning,
for to be successful it must have the
continued support Of congress for
many years to come.
The plan is simple enough. 1t in
wolves a consistent. orderly, and clear
ly-scheduled program of annual re-
placements of all obsolete ships. 1t
will promote what the admiral calls
a business mans navy" The plan
would be projected into the future, and
would allow for the completion of
twelve or thirteen ships every year
to take the places of the same number
which will each year become over
age. The cost would be regular item
in the annual naval appropriation bill.
The Vinson-Tramell bill would give us
parity with Britain by 1912; the Stand
ley plan would prevent our navy from
falling behind again after this burst
Of construction.
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