Evening star., 1940-10-27


1t common sense. Navy Day, 1910,
finds that stern necessity has opened
the eyes of all to the basic truths
enunciated by 1T. r. more than 30
years ago.
Provision for an adequate navy
and adoption of far-visioned naval
policy call attention to the fact that
failure of the United States to
follow a considered plan has been
immensely costly to the country IN
the past. Since the early days of
our country, the Navys progress
has been uneven. In critical days
it has been built up at great ex-
pense; as soon as the crisis passed
the Navy was allowed to dwindle to
the danger point in ships, men and
guns.
Today in the most difficult of all
times, the Navy is just emerging
from such a period The folly OF
permitting the Navy to reach so
low an ebb can be seen in the
present need for haste in construc-
ton. the vast sums which must be
During each critical period, from
Revolutionary days to the present.
the United States has been forced
to build quickly; after each such
period. during which the Navy per-
formed deathless feats, interest in
variably Jagged and there was,
almost literally, no naval policy.
Throughout these years there
have been those who strove to
remedy that lack, but to little avail
Policy Established.
There is reason to believe, how
ever. that finally there has been an
awakening, and that today America
is not only building the largest
navy in the world but has laid the
foundation for permanent naval
nolicv fully geared to the needs OF
this country and hemisphere.
Therefore, the current oullding
program, important though 1t Is IN
itself. means more than simply the
long-delayed construction OF So
called two-ocean Navy. 1t means
that the Nation is acting upon lts
recognition of the continuing need
for an integrated naval policy oaseo
upon world realities, and not WISH
full thinking.
Events of the present war are
declared by competent observers 10
be demonstrating anew the vital
character of sea power and Its I'M
mense weight in the reaching OF
final decisions. And by sea power Is
meant the whole maritime arm, in
cluding the vitality important naval
aviation.
AS a first line of defense, as the
means of preventing essential ma
terials from reaching the enemy,
as the savior of entrapped armies
witness Dunkirk and Somaliland-
ships of war continue to accomp-
lish tasks of the first magnitude.
Yesterdays controversy OF battle
ships versus airplane, the popular
belief that surface craft are Wholly
at the mercy of planes, is giving way
to recognition that each service arm
performs certain tasks superlatlVely
well, and that no service cdil VIC
Neglected without hazard.
And in this connection it is more
than ever realized that national
security requires a strong Navy
with ample bases strategically To-
cated-and that to be strong navy
not only must be large but well bal
anced. For each type OF ship and
each kind of airplane is best suited
for special and particular duties.
Just as the need for broad, we'll
balanced Navy is recognized, so 1t
S clear that the huge, heavily-ar-
mored battleship with vast crulS-
inc range and mounting IA or 16
:nch guns, remains the backbone OF
the fleet. Nothing which has oc-
Cured thus far in this war has
Changed the authoritative view that
these great vessels, built to take as
well as give an enormous volume OF
punishment, form the core around
which an adequate Navy must be
built.
Made Fortress AhOat.
With its cruising range OF many
thousands of miles, its thick armor
plate and powerful guns, 1t is nter-
ally floating fortress which can