Evening star., 1941-10-28

ships without warning. This is
piracy, yet much worse than the
practices of the pirates of old, wht
at least attacked in the open anc
with the skull and crossed bone.
flying as fair warning Of their in
tentions.
The success of our policies de-
pends very largely upon the state
OF our naval preparedness.
1t cannot be too often repeated
that the weight of our influence In
the affairs of this world is in al
most exact proportion to our armed
Strength-and I may add that as
we are strong on the sea-and by
"sea" I include the air over the sea
so shall we be strong everywhere.
Under the impulse of the Presi-
dent and Congress, the Navy has
initiated stupendous program with
respect to both numbers of ships
and rapidity of building. This has
involved complete utilization and
expansion OF all existing building
facilities and the expenditure OF
hundreds of millions OF dollars In
new facilities. With the splendid
support Of the entire shipbuilding
industry, and the Nays own 260,-
900 civil employees. together with
the needful aid of many other in
dustries, great strides have been
and are being made.
Expansion of Facilities.
SeapoWer encompasses both Navy
and merchant marine. In addi.
ton to the great need for an ex-
panded naval program, there has
been an acute need for new mer-
chant ships.
The Maritime Commission Snd
the Navy have worked together in
closest harmony in solving tneir
shipbuilding problems of almost
astronomical proportions.
Recent increases in the effective
ness Of aircraft have called for the
expansion Of naval aviation in q
much greater proportion than the
expansion Of naval surface forces
The aviation expansion is on the
order of five to one, while surface
units are being expanded about two
to one. This expansion in ali
essential needs Of the Navy for Its
own aircraft to perform purely
naval functions.
| Hand In hand with new ship anC
aircraft construction. there has gone
forward, for the first time in Amer.
lean history, corresponding expan.
sion of naval base facilities.
These expanded facilities are mosi
necessary since neither ships mol
aircraft can long operate without
adequate bases. Their need for fuel
supplies and repairs in an ever.
pressing one.
Thus, 1t can be said that the
power Of a navy is measured no.
merely by the ornaments and num-
bers of its ships and planes. but
also by the equipment and distribu-
ton of its bases.
Bases . Vital Advantage.
Fighting units are necessarily de-
pendent on their bases. The only
way by which the full power Of the
fleet can be exerted in a given area
is to have base in that area. In a
very real sense, bases are thus the
equivalent of additional ships. !
stress this point to make clear to
you the advantages we have OBJ
tanned in acquiring outlying naval
and air-base sites. With the facili-
ties now being provided at such
sites, the total power of your feet
Is being automatically multiplied
irrespective of the number of 1t.
ships and aircraft.
I need hardly dwell upon that
other most important element OF
seapower - naval personnel. Take
my word for 1t, because I have
grown up with the American sailor
both regular and reserve-there is
none his equal on this earth.
At time like this we of the Navy
are extremely fortunate in having
a great Secretary. an inspiring
leader, Chicago's own Col. Frank
Knox.
We are, Of course. expanding the
personnel to correspond with the
increase In ships and aircraft
This involves not merely obtaining
greater numbers, but also a trojan
effort in training and indoctrinating
them
The American bluejackets and
marines Of other years have always
risen to the needs Of the occasion.
They will do no less now. My con-
f1dence in our enlisted personnel
springs from the fact that:
They are recruited from the fiber
Of the average American home
throughout the length and breadth
Of our land.
They know no set hours Of work.
They will work all day and all
night cheerfully, when there is work
to be done.
They will play all day and all
night just as cheerfully when oppor-
tunity presents.
And, If need be, they will fight
al uay ana all nlgnC Tor their home
land and its ideals when their
country calls.
Air Power Aids Sea Mixht.
The United States Navy has long
been foremost among the navies of
the world in its concept and in its
development and use OF air strength
as q fundamental requirement for
success In naval operations. The
events Of the present war have
served repeatedly to emphasize the
correctness Of this concept.
Separated as we are from our
enemies by the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans and by the potential Arctic
regions. the defense of the United
States is primarily maritime prob
lem: Because our defense problem
is . largely maritime. it Is logical
that there should be found In this
country the most thorough adapta-
ton OF aeronautical DEVELOPMENT to
naval use.
Air power is such q vital element
OF sea power, and perfect co-ordina-
ton between the two so indispens-
ably necessary for the success of
either or both that anv seporofio,,