The Washington times., 1906-10-13

notable planets in the naval armament
as Secretary OF the Navy bohapait1
and Capt Richmond Pearson hopsou
was but an accident The two appeared
a. snealyers together at the banquet 70
the notable visitors at the reunion or
the Spanish War Veterans, and whether
il u-as coincidence or something more,
IL is certain that their joint pleas for
an adeauate plan OF naval expansion
constituted an effective presentation OF
the case of Americas naval status.
Captain Hobson urged that the United
States ought for its own sake and as
trustee OF vilization-Caucasian civi-
lization-tO have the greatest navy IN
the world He frankly admits that he is
an enthusiast on this subject. Some
people say l make a hobby Of IT,, he
said in talking after the banquet, OF
his fayorite theme, Il don't care what
they think Of me. II they will only lis
ten to what / have TO say. I'm dealing
in the facts of this subject And / am
a man Of peace, not OF war. 1 want
great navy as d guarantee OF peace, and
can prove that the greatest navy In
the world, floating under the American
flag. will be the best safeguard OF
peace"
HobsOn's New Mission.
Captain Hobson viii be a member Of
the next Congress. by virtue Of his
brilliant exploit in torpedoing the po-
litical craft Of Congressman Bankhead.
twenty years a Congressman from Ala
bama. and bearing away the spoils in
the form of the Democratic nomination
from the sixth district. 1t is his ambi-
ton. in seeking a seat in Congress to
continue there the work to which as
platform speaker, he has devoted sew
eral vears-that of bringing the Ameri-
can people TO appreciate and American
legislative policy TO recognize that
great navy is one OF the duties the
United States owes 10 itself and TO the
world.
Ii IS Captain HObsons ambition 20 be
a member OF the House Committee on
Naval Affairs. but he admits that he
doesn't have the least idea whether he
will realize IT,
IF I'm elected 20 help man the Con-
gressionaI craft" ne explained. II Il go
aboard and report 20 the captain for
duty. Nv naval training doesn't give
me much disposition to ask the captain
for a particular assignment to duty. II
they put me on the committee on ac-
coustics. III serve the best ] can there.
But OF course. it is true that L would
like to go on naval affairs
Wishes HerOism Forgotten.
Cantain Hobson. az q budding Tuhlic
character. admits his willingness and
even anxiety to be forgotten as hero.
He takes very seriously the message
which ho has for the American people
ON the subject cf naval expansion. but
nc refuses to take a serious VicW Of him
self in his capacity as hero. The eN-
ploit or the MerTimaC belongs TO an
other nhase Of his career. TO be regard
ed simply az an cx-herO IS not al eli
20 the liking OF his big. vigorous. ath-
letic, sauara-j -javed young fellow. He
would like 10 have people forget the
Merrimac and listen u what he wants
10 tell them about naval expansion.
II is when he gets on thiS theme tnHt
Captain IObsOn grOws eloquent. With
him fl is no brief for the ahirbuilders,
or for The profession OF the navy that
he has accepted. He goes back into
history TO lay the foundation OF his
argument for great American ravy
He calls up the past and lights the
lamp Of is history and experience IN
mumine the present and the future. and
casting that light forward and westward
he finds a situation which ne considers
n vindication OF his demand for naval
expansion
The Coneueror Moves Westward.
The basis OF Captain Hobscn'c arEI-
ment is to bo found in that philosophy
of history which teaches that civ
nization tends 10 move in cycles around
the world from East to West. Captain
HCbson looks back over all the zen
turies in which eastern races have been
migrating toward the West and there
overcoming those who vert before, and
he foresees That another movement Of
this sort. menacing the white man
dominance. is certain to take place.
He sees the time ahead when the
American continent viii be the white
mans stronghold when. fianked on
either side by great oceans, It will be
IF only those oceans are firmly held
within the white mans grip-it win be
the citadel of his defense against the
ultimate Development OF what is rather
thoughuCsSly spoken Ot as the Yellow
Peril
In his elaboration OF this view. Cap
tain H0bsOn demons trateS that he has
given much thought TO historic Consid-
Grafton. He recalls the western waves
Of migration represented by the Huns
the Saracens, and the 1artars of Chen
ehis Khan that II always was the
eastern race that sought TO conquer the
western. end that these wars have had