ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1919, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

: ■ A BIG U.S. NAVY. New York, Dec. 31. Hr. Daniels, Secretary of the Nary, wIMO before the Naval Affairs Committee of the Bouse of Representatives yesterday, strongly urged immediate action by Congress for the adoption of the new three years' naval building programme. He declared that the formal acceptance by Congress of the Administration's plan to enlarge the American Navy to a sile second to none would assist the American delegates at the Peace Conference, and Ike recommended the construction of 10 first-class battleships, six battle cruisers, Ift scout cruisers, and 130 smaller craft. A Washington dispatch to the New York Times says it is estimated that this programme "would place the United State* on the same relative footing with Great Britain, giving this country, with the vessels now building, 62 first-class battleships, while England has HI at present in commission." Mr. Daniels informed the Committee that the three years' programme was approved by President Wilson after the signing of the armistice. It was evident, however, from Mr. Daniels' testimony that if the Peace Conference declared in favor of a reduction or limitation of armaments, the American construction plans could easily be modified or suspended. You cannot do anything in the world {Mr Daniels said) which would so strengthen this country's position in the PeacConference as to authorise this enlarged naval programme. Before I wrote my annual report, I took up the matter of a big building programme with the President, and then, later, after the armistice was signed, I spoke to him again on the subject. He very earnestly urged that this programme should be adopted, as nothing would so aid him in the Peace Conference as Congressional authorisation of a big navy. If, unhappily, the Peace Conference should fail to come to an agreement upon a plan for disarmament, then it is obvious to all that the United States, if she is to realise her destiny as a leader of democratic impulse, and if she is to play her proper part in the protection <i small nations and in the preservation of the freedom of the fleas, must have a navy as powerful as any in the world. It is my firm conviction that if the Versailles Conference does not result in a general agreement to put an end to naval building on the part of all the nations, then the United State* must bend her will and -her energies and must give her men and her money to the task of the creation of incomparably the greatest navy in the world. She has no designs upon the territory or the trade of any other nation or group of nations, but she is pledged to support the Monroe Doctrine. She is pledged to the .protection of the weak wherever they may suffer threats. Sh* is incomparably rich, incomparably strong in natural resources. If need be, she must be incomparably strong in defence against aggressors and in offence •gainst evildoers.