Evening star., 1940-07-02
U.S.. NavyNow Biggest
In World; To Get Ships
Costing $50o,o0o,oOO
Ordered Vessels to Make
Fleet Equal Of. q French,
Italian, Nozi Coalition
By the Associated Press.

Official figures indicated today
that the United States Navy, build
ing at top speed toward "two-ocean"
strength, already has become the
worlds largest both in number CT
ships and in total tonnage.
Not counting the $500, ,000,0 Of
new warships ordered by the Navy
yesterday and nearly 100 other YES
sells under construction, Uncle Sam
has 395 completed combat ships OF
1927, 800 tons.
Latest available figures on the
British Navy give its strength on
June 20 as 3l3 ships Of 1,277 ,189
tons. These figures are admittedly
inexact. but they take into con-
sideration the best information OBJ
tainable on losses suffered in Eu-
ropes war.
Whether the United States or the
British fleet is actually the stronger
is a matter of conjecture. That
depends on many factors-the+ age
of ships, their design, and the ca
pabilities of the crews, among
others.
Biggest in Navy History.
The $500,000,000 new warship or
der was the biggest in Navy history.
It covered II cruisers, 20 destroyers,
13 submarines and large seaplane
tender. The contracts we're closed
without competitive bidding, as au-
thorized by the new speed-up !eeis-
lation which President Roosevelt
signed just two hours earlier.
$l7,000,00O Contracts Let.
Supplemental to the huge building
program announced yesterday, Navy
contracts totaling s17,654,521 were
awarded today to three corporations.
The Cleveland Diesel Engineering
Division of General Motors received
a contract to provide machinery for
13 submarines at a cost of $4,000
each.
The Fairbanks Morse Co., at a
cost of $870,000 each, contracted to
build five underseas boats.
The Hoover, Owens. Rentschler
Co. contracted to build four SUBJ
marines at cost of $780, each,
plus $167 ,209 for spare main en-
gine generator set.
Meanwhile. the War Department,
acting to meet the needs of the ex-
panding Army, cut short the leaves
of 444 recent West Point graduates,
and Mr.. Roosevelt signed bills pro-
viding $18,500,000 for either rn-
struction or land acquisition at Is
military costs.
The House passed a bill to throw
the full glare OF publicity on the
inner workings of organizations
seeking to overthrow the Govern
ment by force and of foreign-con-
trolled groups which engage in
politics or civilian military activ-
ity." Such organizations would
have to register with the Attorney
General and file detailed reports of
their activities.
The House Judiciary Committee
told Congress in a favorable report
on the bill:
Undoubtedly, the activities of
organizations like the German
American Bund would constitute
civilian military activity under this
definition. -"
There is no question but what
the Communist party would be re-
quired to register by reason of (the)
definition of foreign control"
Equal Any Navy Being Built.
In rating the existing United
States Navy the worlds largest,
naval experts also estimated that
the present feet, plus units now or
dered or appropriated for, would
give this country a Navy equal to
any now being built. They include
not only Britain's and Japan's, but
also the fleet that might be formed
by a coalition Of German, Italian
and French sea strength.
The United States has 533 ships
of 2,221,105 tons built, building,
under contract or appropriated for.
Best obtainable data gives Britain
a built and building" navy of 40S
ships totaling 1891 ,709 tons.
The 533-ship Navy in sight for
this country does not include any
Of the craft contemplated in
further 10 per cent $4,000, 900 900
expansion program, which has been
recommended by the Navy high
command and approved by the
House.
1t is estimated that this program,
If passed by the Senate, would add
200 battle craft Of all types, bring
ing the total to 1888.