Evening star., 1940-01-12
New Law Believed
Necessary 10 Build
Larger Cruisers
Admiral Stark
Thinks Treaty Limits
Still Apply
~ the Associated Press.

Sthi HPP'y
~ the Associated Press.
Admiral Harold R. Stark said
today the Navy would ask Congress
for authority to build bigger cruisers
than the present 10,000-ton type If
1t found that special legislative
action was necessary.
Naval authorities have been in
terested for some time in the pos
sibility of using larger cruisers to
offset foreign navies' vessels of the
German -battleship type.
Testifying for the fifth consecu-
tive day before the House Naval
Committee on the proposed $780,
100000 naval expansion program,
the chief of naval operations dis
closed the Navy believed that ex-
listing legislation restricted it to
treaty sizes for all categories of
ships except battleships.
Changes Former Stand.
Previously Admiral Stark had said
that all treaty limits on size had
expired. He declared, however, that
1t now appeared that legislation,
based on the treaties, still was in
effect.
The Navy's judge advocate
general is studying the question,
and if we find that such limits still
exist we will ask for revision of this
pending bill next week to correct
the situation" Admiral Stark said.
Focusing attention on the posi-
bility OF bigger cruisers. Admiral
Stark testified that if the legal ex-
perts of the Navy were right about
limitations the Navy could not lay
down even a 10,00l-ton cruiser-1
ton above the treaty limit.
Admiral Stark gave the first Off
cial indication of bigger cruisers
last Monday, when he said that the
proposed expansion program had
been revised to provide for fewer but
bigger ships. No battleships are in
volved. AS originally announced, the
program would have given the Navy
95 new vessels. Admiral Stark said
that had been reduced to II ships
Of increased tonnage.
Must Clear Budget Bureau.
Admiral Stark made it plain that
even after Congress authorized con-
struction of those II, the Navy still
would have to clear the Budget Bu-
reau before it could ask Congress
for funds to start work on the ships.
Representative jerks. Republican,
of New Hampshire, complained that
the proposed expansion did not in
clude sufficient submarines. He as
serted that Russia, Germany and
Italy alone had 366, compared with
this country's 46
Admiral Stark interposed that the
Navy had IS submarines. and al
though about half were over age.
all were "seagoing" craft capable of
operating far from bases and of
staying at sea for extended periods.
Naval officials said the pending
program would authorize about %
additional submarines and that an
other IA could be built under exist
ing law.
There was some discussion of the
effectiveness of the German pocket
battleship" Graf Spec. when Repre-
sentative Darden, Democrat. of Vir-
ginia, asked if the Specs downfall
was not due to poor gunnery.
Il think that if you asked the
people on the Exeter, they would
tell you she was doing pretty effec-
tive shooting" Admiral Stark re-
piled. The Exeter, one of three Brit
ish cruisers which engaged the Graf
Spec, was badly damaged.
Taussig for Reorganiza ton.
Rear Admiral j. K. Taussig. COM
mandant of the fifth naval district
at Norfolk, Va, gave support today
to moves in Congress to reorganize
the Navy Department.
Outlining proposal for drastic
reshufding through the Naval In
stitute Proceedings, Admiral Taus-
sig suggested that principal func-
tions of the department be headed
into Offices of operations, personnel
and material
There is so much divided re-
sponsibility with so many co-equal
bureau chiefs, and with a chief of
naval operations who has no au-
thority over these chiefs, that we
have in our present setup an excel
lent example of the tail wagging
the dog he said.
Fleets Declared Handicapped.
Without change. he contended,
"our fleets would not be able to
operate to the best advantage" in
another war
Admiral Taussigs proposal was
published at the start of study by
a House Naval Affairs Subcommit-
tee which will report in April on
recommendations to increase the
Navy's efficiency through better
coordination
Under piecemeal legislation and
regulations, the Navy now is oper-
ated largely by heads of bureaus
who receive appropriations directly
from Congress.
An undNcover conflict over war
ship building details among the
Construction, Engineering and Ord
nance Bureaus prompted a recent
move by Secretary Edison to CO.
ordinate all shipbuilding under
Rear Admiral Samuel NJ Robinson.