West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-06-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
The Naval Warfare in the East is an
Object Lesson for this Country.
ANOTHER CHANGE In
THE PRESIDENTS CABINET,
Paul Morton Gets Enough Already
And Gees Back TO His
Railroad Business
From oar Rerular correspondent

Admirers of President Roosevelt
cannot but regret the serious error
which he made in his Decoration
Day speech when he argued that the
victory of Admiral Togo over his
Japanese opponents demonstrated
the necessity for further enlarge
ment of the American Navy. Mr..
Roosevel's opponents will use his
error to prove their contention that
the President is addicted to loose
reasoning. Perhaps the actual fact
is that he is so much of an enthu.
siast he believes he sees strong argu.
ments for any cause which he is IN
terested even where none exists.
The more that is known of the
great naval battle of the Scream
straits the more obvious it becomes
that naval efficiency, rather than
what is ordinarily termed naval
strength. is the most potent factor
in naval success. From the start
Russia has possessed a larger navy
than Japan and only the exceptional
prowess of the Japnese naval per-
sonnel served to obliierate that
difference. Even W h + o & o
met Rojestvensky the latter pos
sessed considerably larger force
than h Japanese commander.
Some review of the engagements in
the worlds history reveals the same
results it has always, or almost al
ways, been the smaller but more eff
cient force that has won.
1t is entirely probable that even
Russia appreciates by this time the
error she made in building addl-
tional naval vessels instead Of seek.
ing to increase the efficiency, and
especially the Workmanship, o (
her men behind the guns for, as was
the case at Manila and Santiago. it
was "the man behiud the gun" who
won the battle of the Corean straits.
The actual capture by Togo Of two
of Russa's most powerful battleships
also serves to upset the predictions
of naval experts in this country who,
while admitting that a battleship
might be disabled and sunk, have
always contented that these floating
fortresses could never be captured.
The fact that Japan has succeeded
in capturing two Of the Russian bat
tleships will inevitably be used with
considerable effect in the debates in
the next Congress in opposition to
the Presidents insistence that more
battleship b authorized. Many
members Of Congress who have for
years given careful attention TO the
efficiency of the various naval units
have contested the argument that
battleships are the all important sea
fighting machines and ia the last
session Of Congress only the most
insistent urging on the part Of the
President secured the authorization
Of another Of these comparatively
untried floating fortresses. In the
past, the conservatives on naval
construction have had only theory
with which TO support their argu-
ments and while this has been al
most as true of the advocates OF the
most expensive type Of vessel, they
have always had the aid Of the pow
erful lobby maintained by the Steel
Trus, which sells 20 the Govern.
ment immense quantities OF arm or.
plate for each ship, at exhorbitant
prices. Now, however, that Togo
with considerably fewer battleships
than his opponet has not only ami.
hilated the latter's fleet but captured
some Of his battIeships as we'll, the
opponents Of naval extravaganza
will have powerful arguments with
which to support their contentious.
Despite the numerous reports sent
out out from Washington TO the ef-
feet that President Roosevelt is seek
ing to promote and negotiate terms
Of peace between Russia and Japan,
the President has taken no action
in this direction. OF course. he
may do so at any time, but he will
not, and cannot do anythin e TO that
end, until requested to do so by one
or other Of the bellieenents. Months
ago, President Roosevelt indicate
IN unmistakeablc terms 20 Minister
Takihira and Ambassador Cassini
that he would be only too glad to
be OF service when It was dctermin
ed by either nation that the time