Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-21
To Prevent War.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The naval historian, J. Feniaore Cooper. in
the closing paragraph of his history of The
navy makes a statement that is applicable to
this day. He wrote in 1876 In closing he
states that the historian Of the American navy
N he year 1900 will have task before him
very different 10 his own. Little did ne dream
that within twenty years the tag of the Union
worli wave over SEQ ships of war. This was
the case in 1915 1T that period we were strong
and respected by all nations. from time To
time efforts were made to keep up navy suit
able 20 the dignity OF great nation: this was
defeated. Men IL Congress said that there would
be no more war. One Senator made the very
remarkable statement. that the moral effect
of mighty nation OF 10000. COO in perfect har-
mony would deter any other nation from mo-
testing IL Also that if raft with the Ameri-
can flag were sent sdrift on the ocean all the
world would respect it This Is q good time
to test that policy. Here We have Chile with
only 100000 inhabitants, and so far from re-
specting said raft and flag they treat It with the
utmost contempt The only way to have this
raft respected would be to have behind il 100
steel-clad battle ships Ii Immediately after
the Baltimore insult to our flag we could have
sen; fifteen ships of the Baltimore class and six
battle ships to the harbor OF Valparaiso ard de-
manded an apology it would have been
given with a cOmmendable prOmptness.
This line of action would have been taken by
either England or France II their flag had been
SO grossly iasulted was the American STAN
dard by the mob in Chile. In an interview pub
hshed in today's STAR Senators Kyle and PETER
make stateme nts in regard to the controversy
with Chile that are apt to mislead. The former
says that it would be a national disgrace to go
to war with a nation SO much smaller than our
own; in fact, il would be crlminally ludicrous."
In answer 20 this | would state that if this were
established a precedent then any country
smaller than our own would feel at liberty at
any time to kill and MAIN our naval repre-
sentatiyes or our citizens who might happen TO
visit their shores, and If We were TO ask for
apology they could plead the baby ac;' as
their defense. This view would not be tolerated
by any other country on the face OF the globe.
II dignified Senators duly declare that the wan
ton slaughter of sailors on its men-ot-yar Is too
small a matter to be noticed much less TO go to
war for. the sooner this new doctrine is pro-
claimed the better. Then those who may 60
abroad can duly place themselves under the
protection of the English government, which
never has allowed an insult to any of its clti-
gems TO go unpunished-
1 doubt very much if the Chilean government
will offer any sort Of an apology that will be
ceptable to the President and his cabinet. The
mass Of the PEOPLE of that country believe that
they are fully able to hold their against
the United States In fact II Is well-known
boast that they think that one Chilean is equal
TO any ten Yankees The only way to convince
them of this error Is the stern logic of battle.
II war follows the present controversy we
will spend. no doubt, several hundred million
dollars and sacrifice thousands of brave lives.
II one-tenth of this sum had been spent ten
years ago in building upa proper navy the
present war topic would not have come up.
The late Gen. Grant and Admiral Porter re-
peatedly stated that the only way to prevent
q war was to be 50 thoroughly prepared for 1T
that no nation would dare attack US
January ~. OLD NAVY.