Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
Member of the Associated Press.
Degree of Security

IN view or the progressively serious
international situation abroad, it is
difficult to follow the line of reason
Ing advanced by members of the
House Naval Affairs Committee in
support of drastic cut in the Nays
proposed warship construction pro-
gram. The principal arguments
voiced by proponents of the slash are
that shipbuilding facilities at present
are inadequate to care for the
twenty-five per cent expansion asked
by the Navy Department, and that it
is best to wait until the ships already
authorized-and perhaps a score
additional-have been built before
providing for any more. If world
conditions then warrant further
construction, the opponents of the
administrations full program assert,
the remainder of the ships urged by
naval experts can be authorized.
Secretary of the Navy Charles
Edison and Admiral Harold r. Stark
have answered these contentious
quite forcefully in appearances be-
fore the committee this week. Even
as Chancellor Hitler was shouting
new threats for the whole world to
hear and ponder, including a warn
ing that nothing any longer will be
able to defeat u.s." Secretary Edison
significantly was reminding Con-
gress that in gauging its future re-
quirements, the Navy must consider
"the possibility of the defeat of
either side" in the European war.
'"The strength of friendly nations
might even be turned against us if it
should fall into the hands of con-
querors," he stressed. Authorization
of the whole $1,3OO,oooo00 program
requested by the department., Mr..
Edison said, would "serve notice on
all possible aggressor nations that
the United States intends to protect
itself and its interests powerfully
and effectively" Herr Hitler's latest
challenge to democracies in general,
and Great Britain and France in
particular. lends force to the Navy
Secretarys warning that the United
States cannot afford to ignore the
trend Of events in Europe. The en-
tire authorization sought by the
Navy now, Mr.. Edison pointed out,
will give the country only "a fair
degree of security" against possible
combinations against us.
While it is undoubtedly true that
existing yards could not work stimuli
taneously on all the seventy-seven
ships contemplated under the new
program, it is not too early to start
the preparation of designs and of
detailed working drawings for future
ships. 1t frequently takes year or
more to complete on paper the plans
and specifications which must be
made before keel is laid down.
Admiral Stark testified that such
careful planning makes not only for
better vessels, but for greater speed
in actual construction and for all
round economy Chairman Vinson
of the House Naval Affairs Commit
tee is quoted as commenting that If
world conditions a year or so from
now ARE as they are today" Congress
can "go along and authorize" the
other ships wanted by the Navy. But
world conditions year or so from
now are not apt to be as they are
today. They probably will be much
better or much worse. If better,
there can be no harm in having a
few extra ships on paper. If worse,
the Navy would be fortunate indeed
to have it's plans all ready for an
immediate start on construction
when Congress gives the signal
Certainly it is not asking too much
OF Congress to authorize this "fair
degree of security" at the earliest