Evening star., 1940-10-27

ltinq an enemy.-Wide World Photo.
their submarines, as subsequent events
proved, ruthless summarizing would never
have been renewed, and probably Amer
lea would have remained at peace. AS in
many previous cases, it was our naval
weakness Qancied or reaD that was very
largely responsible for drawing us into
the war. We can always remain neutral
in future wars elsewhere If we have
available sufficient naval power to per-
suade the warning powers to respect our
neutral rights.
Time Is Vital.
At the moment events are moving so
rapidly that it is impossible to say
whether the vast naval expansion re-
Gently decided upon can be completed
in time to be effective. In 1888 Con-
gress provided for 25 per cent increase
in the feet to keep pace with expansion
abroad. After the outbreak of war in
Europe, another II per cent was added;
still with view to maintaining our rela-
tive standing on the old So basis. Fol-
lowing the quick defeat of France and
further aggressive steps by Japan in the
Orient the so-caHed "two-ocean" stand
ard was adopted and an overall 10 per
cent increase of naval strength provided.
The answer to this great question OF
the effectiveness of our "two-ocean feet"
lies hidden in unpredictable future
events. Meantime we should speed naval
construction to the limit of the national
capacity. And this cannot be done by
the Navy alone, even with the wise and
helpful presidential spur it is now get
ting. There is also required the whole
hearted support Of the American public
to the additional large congressional ap-
propriations that will be needed, and as
a safeguard against the elusive fifth COL
umn in our midst. The Navy needs pub
lie support against subversive foreign
propaganda and other activities tending
to weaken and delay our preparations.
Blue Water" Navy.
The American people have confidence
in their Navy 1t is blue water" Navy,
one habituated to intensive activity at
sea In efficiency of personnel and of
materiel it is probably better than any
other-man tor man, ship for ship plane
for plane, gun for gun. In numbers of
ships also we are well able to care for
American interests, except in the ex-
treme case of a total axis combination
against us. Our principal weakness is
deficiency of overseas naval bases, and
this is fortunately in process of being
corrected in the Atlantic-through the
greatest diplomatic stroke favoring the
national defense in our entire history.
1t is little difficult for the layman
to understand that naval power does not
lie in ships alone, but in a combination
of men, ships and bases. Conveniently
located and properly equipped bases au-
tomatically multiply the number and
power of ships that can be brought to
bear constantly in given theater Of
war Consider, for example, the defense
of the Caribbean approaches to the
Panama Canal The ships of a fleet
that might have this mission. and that
had to base on Norfolk or New York,
would have an improbable 3000-mile
round trip journey every time they need
ed fuel, or docking or major repairs.
This unavoidable round trip would rep
resent reduction in total fleet strength
of nearly 20 per cent because approx
mately that proportion of the feet would
necessarily be habitually absent from
the critical theater of operations. The
establishment of base in the Carib-
bean itself would obviously save most of
this 20 per cent loss of total feet power
Such step would be the equivalent of
having substantially more ships
Need Pacific Stepping Stones.
The foregoing illustrates q profound
principal of naval power that is too lit
tie understood. 1t offers . means Of sub
stantially increasing our naval strength
quickly in the present emergency. The
establishment of new bases in areas
where our fleet may be called upon to
protect American interests vi be the
equivalent of acquiring more ships and
of correspondingly increasing our ability
to meet a total attack years before we
can complete the present needful pro-
gram of shipbuilding.
This is why the recent acquisition Of
naval base sites in the Atlantic fringe
was such superlatively good statesman
ship. These positions would be of i'm
mense value in hemisphere defense in
the Atlantic. Projects for building air
and naval bases at the new sites should
be pushed. A corresponding develop
We will never be able properly to safe
guard the permanent American interests
In the Orient without trans-Pacific step
ping stones in the way Of naval and air
bases and without one good feet base
In the Far East itself.