Show 1 WILBUR CITES US NEEDS IN 1 1 l NAVAl GRAfT r Secretary cre ary Puts Building Program Before Subcommittee l' l Nation Must Compete With Britain H I WASHINGTON Dec 10 Cruiser Cruiser and submarine for submarine sub- sub marine grin rl e e. e the United States must mustS S v build in competition with Great Greaton i i of oC superior superior- ratio retain on a 5 3 nl j o. o oder over oer er Japan If the if-the the Washington ton Sty atY ty 5 3 ratio of naval strength Q 1 il d be maintained Secretary Wil- Wil III h has Informed the house sub- sub on naval appropriations secretary ne-secretary e submitted a round- round program advocated by bye ef e general board details of which e t not been re revealed but which es 5 l light ht cruisers o of the 10 type tj-pe fleet submarines de- de ier oyer and other auxiliary d n. t. t tonnage which is n nr not limited the the treaty r Ii Since irice the statement laid bid before beCore h committee Monday Monda in executive executives s 5 ton and mad madr put is last lut night rj i S reviewed re and revised repeated- repeated b by the general board and other r erts of or the nl navy department bee bee he here be- be J re e e i it it was delivered by Mr Witt Wit Wll- t r it may be taken as the dellb- dellb I te ite le conch concision sion o of the naval if aval servI ts I- I not only on the r resent status of ot t v tho na navy compared with other 1 but to the value i eI as t JP t iC aircraft and submarines o t Fred f red ed with battleships LEAD Battleships r are still the Hie real measure of or sea power the secre- secre Cm ry n told lold the committee But to toS S n ave full value he added they must must be prepared to r resist every possible means of assault I including C I the submarine torpedo toredo and and the I I I aerial bomb Mr Wilbur said the the suggestion I that either torpedo or bomb was I the effective answer to battleships battleships battle battle- ships was absurd battle I Great stress was laid ald by the secretary secretary secretary sec sec- on the navys navy's modernization program although he deferred for I future discussion the gun elevation aspect of that work The greatest I deficiency In treaty ratio strength now existing in the nee flee he said was the of ot the boilers I I of six older ships which must be I to take their proper place I in the line It was this condition which V l prompted e the departments department's m i notification to Congress Co last May I that the ratio strength had fallen from 5 3 to 3 6 he said I POSSIBLE j I The six ships have a treaty life I df off ten years ears ahead of them and they could be reconditioned which WI I means adding blisters for protection protection tion a against t torpedoes P increasing increasing oc I deck protection li against armor armor armor- r bombs And shells replacing replacing ing f worn rn out L boilers r and ft adding additional additional ad ad- anti aircraft batteries for forthe forthe I Ithe the cost of or a a. single new ship The rhe six ships each with a year ten-year life liCe I if reconditioned would be the equivalent equivalent equivalent equiv equiv- alent of ot three new shire with i twenty years year's of active service I ahead Yet the new ships would I cost the secretary pointed so the modernization program pro pro- pro program I gram would be wise to lo follow fonow even if the treat treaty permitted the alternative alternative alternative alter alter- native of oC building three new ships To postpone the work was to gamble gamble gamble gam I ble with the chance of war In ten teng teni i there years g would and n increase be e war t the he added chance e that i ibe j la In n. n asking the secretary r November November Novem Novem- be ber 2 20 last ns to prepare 1 the heN statement state state- statement Fe I ment Chairman Ch French of the subcommittee subcommittee sub- sub subI I committee wrote that he wanted I Ithe Ithe the committee advised in detail as asto i i ilo to lo the retrogression of the from the ratio strength and the I steps necessary to regain that position position tion and maintain it in the future 1 |