Show REDUCING OUR FLEET F ONE cared to be bc super-patriotic super it would I IP IF be fairly easy to work vork up excitement over the fact that third one of the entire U U. S. S fI fleet fleetis et is to be placed in reserve commission commissi n on July 1 with a reduction of more than 2000 men inthe in inthe the navy's navys enlisted personnel This redu reduces cs the fighting efficiency of the fleet A navy nay which ch must pull a third of its ships out of dockyards and find crews for them at the recruiting stations in the event of sudden trouble is undeniably below the standard standard stand stand- ard which its paper strength gives it But there doesn't seem to be much real ground for worry even so Troubled as the world is moderately competent statesmanship at Washington ought to bring us through the next few years without letting us get into a war A war var right ight now would be a calamity for us even if our fleet were twice its present size |