Evening star., 1947-10-27
Fleet Acclaimed as Protector
|OfPeoce in Navy Day Exercises

menC OF our NdGlOIl great TcSpOIlSl- =
bility as leading world power. This
responsibility entails not only the
building of just and proper peace
but the maintenance of ready forces
to insure that peace"
In honor of the $1,000 sailors and
Marines who gave their lives in the
recent war, more than 5000 repre-
sentatives of SO veterans and civic
groups were to take part in cere-
mony at noon at the Tidal Basin.
A wreath from Gen. Macarthur was
to be placed at the John Paul Jones
statue at noon.
Eleven naval installations in the
Washington area arranged open
house today for displays of equip
ment, demonstration OF activities or
other events. The observance here
will close tonight with a Navy Day
banquet at the Mayfiower Hotel at
7:30 o'clock, with 1t. Gen. j. Law
ton Collins, deputy chief of staff
of the Army, as principal speaker.
Nimitz Stresses Peace Assurance.
Fleet Admiral Chester w. Nimitz,
chief of naval operations, declared
in a radio broadcast last night that
well-trained and equipped Navy
is one Of the best assurances that
peace shall cover the earth as the
waters cover the sea-"
Five members of the House Armed
Services Committee issued state
ments stressing the Importance of a
strong Navy to discourage the pos
sibility Of foreign aggression.
Representative Thomas, Republi-
can, of New Jersey said an efficient
reserve for our air-sea arm" strength
ems this country,s voice in interna-
tional discussions. Representative
Norblad, Republican, of Oregon
urged naval preparedness because
inertia and confidence based on
previous victory have hurled peoples
to disastrous and humiliating de-
feat"
Representative Clason, Republi-
can, Of Massachusetts, also urged
adequate reserve facilities" for the
Navy. Representatives Brooks, DEM
ocrat, of Louisiana and Philbin,
Democrat, of Massachusetts, called
for a strong Navy as a "bulwark
against aggression" and a means of
fulfilling international'c commitments.
Mr.. Philbin added that there are
"innumerable ways that our naval
strength can be implemented" by
the atomic bomb. He declared the
bomb has served to accentuate the
value of the Navy"
Wreaths Dropped In Sea.
Advance observances yesterday in
cluded the dropping of Is wreaths
from a Navy bomber that took off
from the Naval Air Station at Ana
costa. The wreaths were dropped
in the ocean off Cape May, N. j., in
commemoration of naval war dead.
More than 1000 visitors went to
the Patuxent River Naval Air Test
Center and the Naval Air Station
yesterday. Several hundred in
spected the latest-type fleet sub
marine, the U. S. S. Sea Robin, at
the Franklin street annex of the
Naval Ordnance Plant at Alexan-
dria. The submarine is open for in
spection today from am. to 1870
am. and from l pm. to 4 pm.
A choir of 40 sailors from the
Naval Medical Cetner at Bethesda
sang at am. assembly of stu
dents at Wilson High School.
Gun Factory Offers Tours.
The Naval Gun Factory antici-
.pated to hundreds of visitors at
its varied program from 9 am. to
AIS pm. today. The events in
cluded a showing of the destroyer
Gearing, an LIST and a training
submarine, tours of plant facilities
displays of captured enemy equip
ment and diving demonstrations.
The Naval Observatory had day
and night programs for the public,
but admission in the evening from
7 to IL will be by card only. These
may be obtained from the chief
clerk at the observatory.