NAVY OF AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19856, 28 January 1928, Page 11

NAVY OF AMERICA.

INCREASE IN AIR ARM. FURTHER 759 PLANES ASKED. A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. Rear-Admiral W. A. Moffett, the chief of the Naval Aeronautical Bureau, informed the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives that 759 new airplanes would be needed to man the five new aircraft carriers and the 26 new cruisers provided for in the building programme. These would be additional to the 1000 planes provided for in the fiveyears aviation programme now being carried out. Admiral Moffett said each carrier needed 75 planes when on active service and about half that number in reserve, while each cruiser needed six planes. He said each plane would carry a bomb capable of demolishing a cruiser. ADMIRAL REPROVED. TALK OF WAR DENOUNCED. A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. Jan. 26. The Democrat member of the House of Representatives for Oklahoma, Mr. James V. McClintic, speaking in the House, described Admiral C. P. Plunkett's alleged war talk as being "an idiotic and asinine outburst." He said the admiral's prophecy of war with Britain "has had the effect of curtailing and destroying trade relations, instead of increasing commerce with friendly nations." It was reported on January 21 that Admiral C; P. Plunkett said: "The penalty for efficiency is war. War is inevitable, so long as we travel along the lines we are travelling on to-day. And what of it t We are not going to leave this heritage of Georgo Washington to luck. If I read history correctly, this country is nearer war than ever before, because its commercial position to-day places us in competition with other great commercial nations. If you do, not want war, be a worm and withdraw into the nearest hole in the earth."