Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1918 — DANIELS PLANS BIGGEST NAVY [ARTICLE]

DANIELS PLANS BIGGEST NAVY

WILSON APPROVES PROJECT UNLESS PEACE MEET ENDS BUILDING OF WARSHIPS. Washington, Dec. 31.—-Secretary Daniels today put the administration squarely on record in favor of building the biggest navy in the world unless the peace conference reache* and the nations ratify an agreement to pot an end to warship construction. The Secretary went a step further than the general board of the navy which declared three weeks ago for a navy equal to the most powerful maintained by any nation in the world. President Witeon fully approve* the policy set forth today, Mr. Daniels stated. In* a prepared statement he read to the House naval affairs committee, the Secretary said: “It is my firm conviction that if the conference at Versailles doe* not result in a general agreement to put an end to naval building on the part of the nations, the United States must bend her will and baud her energies, must give her men and give 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*he is pledged to the support of the Monroe Doctrine; she is pledged to the protection of the weak, wherever they may suffer threats; she is incomparably rich in natural resources; if need/ be, she must be incomparably strong i ndefense against aggressors and in Offense against evil doers.” Representative Butler of Pennsylvania asked how large our navy should be if a league of nations is formed. “We ought to contribute to the international police force,” Mr. Daniels replied, “just as. much in units, power and men as any other nation. We ought not to allow any other nation to have one ounce more power than we have. Each nation will have a voice in the international tribunal in proportion to what it puts in the wil? to any contribution wmen win pui us second.” Representative Kelly of Michigan asked the Secretary if he thought the necessity for warship construe-' tian is as great now as it was when the war was on. Mr. Daniels replied: “Until the termination of the peace conference and the acceptance by the nations of the agreements reached we cannot tell what wiH be necessary.”