The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15
THE NEED or A NAVY.
The Inevitable Outcome OF our CONNER
ciaI DEVELOPMENT.

is dQNGItb CIltlClen COHCti IL
ing the wisdom Of such large expenditures
of public moneys for the establishment and
maintenance of naval force considered
sufficient to meet the requirements Of this
country, This criticism is not strong
enough 10 overcome the convictions Of the
majority Of our national Legislators that
a much larger naval force is necessary TO
furnish an adequate guarantee that the pre-
enlineAce Of this count, on this continent
and its vital interests in he Far East shall
not be abridged or usurped by its rivals
in the struggle for economic supremacy
When che various questions which may
arise % bring on a war between nations
nave been considered. it will be found that
| they 40 rule centre in one base, and that is,
'the question OF economics II follows
that nation which is becoming more and
more menace to the commercial gu
premacy OF other nations should look 10
1t before it 10 too late that the means OF
defending this commercial advancement
are adequate TO the conflict sure 10 come
sooner or later
The conflict may be postponed by diplo-
matic measures but eventually, II the
reaching out for and gathering in Of trade
| from ell quarters Of the globe is persisted
| IN, 70 IU6 COHuncINldI 0JodeIF cAbN6kt dAi
! peril OF other nators the result will be war
During the past five years the United
| States has gone forward with leaps and
| bounds in the development Of CONNER
cial relations with the rest of tho world
which bid fair TO make this country In the
near future tho dominant market Of the
world. IL is easy to foretell which countries
will dispute this position with us, 50 soon az
the necessary conditions arise.
1t has recently been predicted by an emil
nent European economist that a combina
ton will be formed against the United States
| because we are even now pressing hard
upon the old countries In commercial actiy-
| ity: and II this pressure is already making
| itself felt, how much more will il be felt az
this country goes on with the irresistible
force of it's accumulated and accommodating
energy in the lines Of commercial artistic
and scientific activities.
Preach universal peace and settlement Of
disputes by arbitration as you may, the
| question Of the very life Of a nation or its
struggle TO maintain its place in tho eco
| nomio world against foreign encroachment
will rot be left in tho future (any more than
! it has been in the pasO to arbitration. In
any event, ID would be folly TO accept such a
HiOus OF oeIIeiIleHt Oh OlItlcICfe DtIntcu
| nations as certain. When the question hab
arisen and the challenge Of defiance has been
| hurled again At us. IL will be poor defence
to plead that we thought it WAS understood
that all such questions we're 10 be left TO
| arbitration
In order that our rivals may not grow
az Our expense and establish them
selves in such places mot already in their
/ L. a,
our lines Of communication. it il necessary
TO adhere to the principles laid down by
Mr.. Monroe. when. as President Of the
/ United States. he stated in his message 70
! Congress in 1929 that there must be no fur
Their European intrusion upon this CONT
| nent Indeed. II would seem that with the
! completion OF the Panama Canal this prin-
cipe should be extended TO China as the
canal will then become the commercial
highway from the Far East and whichever
nation controls China (Which will then be-
come It's commercial base) will seek 10 con-
troll the Panama Canal. So that for our
pre-ervation either the present sovereignty
Of China must be preserved or else we must
control it ourselves. 1t is too soon for US
TO control it Gi indeed that ever becomes
neoessary), so we must be content 20 keep
! rival NATIONS from EhlIlliB 'blNiOls
With this view Of the subject it Is not
difficult TO see where our interests lie in
the present struggle between Russia and
Japan They lie in complete and con-
sistent neutrality UP 20 the point where
either nation attempts to control China, and
then It becomes our duty to see that neither
nation obtains such control. To guard
against such a calamity it Is to be hoped
. -. ~. !, -
before either nation has 90 exhausted itself
as 10 be at the mercy Of the other: as IL is
! always difficult 70 induce a victor to forego
the fruits OF his victory. Fortunately, in
the present case the United States does not
stand alone in being Interested in maintain
ing the integrity Of China. Granting that
the enforcement Of the Monroe Doctrine
and the maintenance OF the integrity OF
China are necessary for the economic pres
ervahon Of this nation. our wishes In the
matter will be respected Just SO long as 1t
ia considered impraoticable on the part of
Other natious 70 ignore them. This will be
governed: % By the assurance that the
United states will not receive sufficient sup
port from other nations In the defence Of
their doctrines; or, what amounts to the Same
thing, that the assailing nation, or nations.
Will not nave 70 tLclIbr4NSb hBdlutN
the attack Of other nations when engaged
in a war with US. and (2) By the strength OF
the nation or nations concerned as COM
pared with ours. From these conditions
two lines Of procedure suggest themselves:
u By diplomacy TO keep rival nations from
uniting against us as a common enemy;
(2) by making our defences strong enough
10 render it too hazardous for any nation to
make war upon US. The first line Of pro
cedure may and ia likely 10 prove successful
for some length OF time, not 30 much because
OF our influence In the matter as because Of
the natural jeAloUsies and rivalrtes existing
between European nations; bat vo must
ultimately depend upon our ability to de-
fend our position by force.
The army and navy should be prepared
for such conflict II may not come, but
nothing will prevent IL so effectively as
being ready. oBsERvER.
Boston, Jan. 10.