The Washington herald., 1906-12-22
PLEADS FOR BIG NAVY
Attorney General BOnaparte
Sounds Cry of Warning.
AMERICA NO LONGER ISOLATED
Growth of Country More Likely to
Create Enmity Among Nations.
hold the President i'm Desire for
Greater Preparedness for War.

Philadelphia. Pa, Dec. 2l.-AttOrney
General Bonaparte. in a speech tonight
at the PIERCE School. declared that an as.
surance Of peace Of the United States
almost wholly depended upon the nations
preparedness for war.
He took as a text Washington's Fare
well Address. He pointed out that the
United States is no longer isolated: that
profound changes in ourselves and all
about US have gravely affected the ma
lions entire surroundings. and that the
humiliation Of space and distance, for
commercial and military purposes, has
made the great cities CT this country far
nearer TO the nations Of Europe and Asia
than they were to Florida or Canada in
Washington's time.
An American may be as good a pa
triot as our land can show" he said, and
yet sigh for our early days OF safety
through obscUrity and isolation; but, If,
like the ostrich, he refused to own what
his eyes would show him, did he open
them to facts, namely that for Us the
days Of obscurity and isolation are gone
forever, and safety must now be sought
elsewhere. he abdicates his reason and
imperils his country"
Country No Longer in Isolation.
He declared that our detached and
distant situation that Washington saw
has ceased to be; that New York could
be reached to-day by a powerful hostile
army in one-fourth, and san Francisco
in one-half. the time needed by any pos
circumstances. ito reach the most exposed
capital Of Europe"
He maintained that the great oceans
We're no longer a safeguard against seri-
Gus invasion. our ports are filled up
with huge steamers, practically all under
foreign flags which await but a word on
the electric wire to become transports
crowded 10 their utmost capacity with
trained soldiers or loaded down with mu-
nit!ons of war.
Alr. Bonaparte pointed out another dan
ger. while we have drawn prodigiously
nearer to possible and possibly dangerous
enemies ne declared we have also
grown prod.giously bigger and richer and
more Obtrusive and therefore vastly
more likely TO awaken envy, distrust, and
fear; or, in other words, 10 have enc
mics"
In pointing out wherein the United
States has become a world power and
Americans interested in the affairs Of the
glcbe, he said. Despite ourselves. the
thought, half formed and half conscien-
uous, and Yet daily growing clearly 70
us and to others. forces itself upon our
minds that in the vast and terrible drama
or human destiny a nation such as ours
has grown % be must have its allotted
its enforced part 20 play"
Wants Presidents Hands Upheld.
In conclusion Mr.. Bonaparte called upon
the people Of the country and its national
lawmakers TO hold UP the hands Of the
President in maintaining her war
strength Il ask Of all thoughtful and
patriotic citizens their aid TO my sue
cessor IN the great department Of our
Federal government but lately in my
keeping he said, land 10 his colleague
in the administration Of the sister ser
vice. and, most Of all. 10 the Commander
in-chief Of our forces OF land and sea.
under the Constitution in assuring our
country's peace by maintaining her
strength for war.
4 ask for the Congress a hearty sup
port from public opinion in a liberal pro-
vision for the national defense, and, more
over. a loud and clear assurance Of such
support to drown the clamors OF self-in-
terest OF delusion. Of prejudice, of par
simony in dealing with this great ques-
ton; and, as with the worlds approval,
the noble title of -peacemaker' has been
bestowed on our first public servant. I
ask that the nation be qualified for
Ike honor in the just judgment Of man
kind by giving her such strength as may
gain and guard for her the peace Of
righteousness"