The San Francisco call., 1904-02-20
HOT CRITICISM
FOR ROOSEVELT
Congressman Fitzgerald Says
President Is Unsafe and
May Involve Is in a War
OPPOSES A GREAT NAVY
Speaker Declares That 1t Is
the Policy of the Admins
tration to SurpaSs Germany

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1s.-The House
today began consideration Of the naval
appropriation bin. ten hours being al
lowed for general debate. During the
general discussion Fitzgerald Demo
cTaD Of New York declared that our
naval programme was TO procure a
naval force greater than that Of Ger
many He further said:
In all sections of the country the
conviction, rightly or wrongly held, IS
firm that the present occupant of the
White House is apt 10 involve US in war
with some other nation"
Referring 10 a statement Of Admiral
Dewey that the sea force should con-
sist OF forty-eight battIeships. Fitzger-
aid said that confirmed his assertion
that the naval programme was based
on the theory that our navy should be
larger than that Of Germany. Il was
time 10 call a halt on much talk OF an
inhammat0ry character that was heard
throughout this land, declared Fltz-
gerald. adding. Public officers are the
chief offenders by loose, indefinite and
b0mbastic statements The Naval Com
mittee in its report is not entirely free
from the disease
hELeIrlnE TO the speech D1 crNlENoA
Moody and that Of Beoe Of Minneapolis
concerning the Monroe doctrine, Fitz-
gerald said President Cleveland never
would have issued his universally
praised Venezuelan message If he had
stopped 10 measure the relative
strength Of the naVies OF the two coun-
tries. In conclusion he asked. are We
10 have great navy merely 10 Iurhlsh
summer holidays that high officers may
PLAY al War?'
Foss. speaking for the bill, said the
aggregate amount appropriated would
afford comfort 10 the economist ana an
iLsuiration TO those who believed IN
the policy Of building up the American
navy.
Iu emphasizing the necessity OF build
inc up the navy la times OF peace ana
The impOssibiiity Of building ships IN
times If war F0ss exclaimed.
What would Russia give to-day II
she could call back some Of her sunken
shipsg
II eternal vigilance is the price Of
liberty" Foss declared. eternal prep
arauou for war is the price Of peace.
He called attention 10 the great diff
ference between The army and navy
lhs aruy Is largely made up Of per
scunel- the major general can be made
los the stroke Of a pen, but IL requires
forty wears 10 make an admiral, and
years ~ work 20 build a navy.
Referring 70 the recent troubles in
Santo Domingo F0ss said the time may
come svhe1 the United States viii say
L. Sauto Domingo and Hayti that II
they cannot preserve order the Ameri-
can navy viii do so FOR them. The
Monroe doctrine also must be looked
oct for. The navy must be relied upon
- back Up American diplomacy, which
n said. never stood so high as il does
today under Secretary Hay
Neyer Of Louisiana. the ranking
minority member of the committee,
combated the statement that the navy
vas topheavy. He regards the build
'ipg Of q strong navy as a measure Of
peace.
fitzgerald gave figures showing the
strength % The German navy and
what III viii be in the immediate fu-
rure. Admiral Dewey. he said, in
hearing before the Naval Committee,
made this statement:
II think we ought 10 be a little
= head OF any country that IS likely TO
attack US think II We were 10 have
fortv-eight bartleships in twenty years
they would Jet US alone"
Fitzgerald continuing said:
III the prevailing belief is justified
and II the President is 10 be given
four years Of power in his own right.
now that the great representative of
the conservative force in the Repub-
lican party. the late Senator from
Ohio (AIr. Hanna) is gone to his re-
ward. it may be wise for Us TO outdO
even Great Britain In our naval pro-
gramme Is d. the part Of wisdom 10
encourage an unsafe and impetuous
and adventure-lOving executive by
loose talk and with big apprOpria-
tlons2"