New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-22
FEARS WAR In CHINA.
DFR4TE ON 4RMY BILL.
n, Hull Dscels on Need of Pre-
.,rodaess-Japan Not Suspected.
From The Tribune BureAu. J

.,,eton Feb. 21.-Quoting President
- 10 The effect that the best way 10
,-ar is always TO be ready for it. Repre-
6'O-S .,,,e Hull. OF Iowa chairman Of the Mill
-airs Committee. startled the House to-
a. ~ suggesting the possibility OF troubles in
60 In opening the debate on the Army Ap-
e-..-sstion BIZ Mr.. Hull said:
ma and SO does every other member Of the
~ - thsf We viii not have trouble in the near
boa-s' maj viii call for our immediate interview
ta.1'f rt there are conditions existing to-day in
no.' orient that may make ii necessary for US
Tx -eserve our prestige and power and our
|. n show that We are ready. If necessary. TO
tsH sor them. II is common knowledge with
L. nan here that to-day there are grave
t.s.s.sns confronting us in our dealings with
60 The old empire has not been for the
tI- rwo thousand years a military nation, but
~~s,en ideas Western progress and Western
Nessssnce have been ueddling with this old great
80 FOR so many years past that they may
~ awake TO sense Of their great power.
Tbat transition period there is danger. While
-, awakening Is gong on every government
- bss business relations with China must he
tl-s 81 protect those interests al all hazards,
y Use pull down their flag. leave the Pacific
y 80 and destroy their trade. can only ex-
.-sSs the hope that when China does come 10
.wskeriuE 10 modern ideas. modern thought
60 modern progress, 1t may have the same ef-
e., Upon her people as Il had upon Japan. ana
!, -lsce of being q menace TO the world IL may
IS them 10 join IN the great advance OF hu-
.~-i-v everywhere for the uplifting Of civiliZa-
&C. and protection OF the rights OF man. I be-
Esvs me power that controls the Pacific Ocean
s@- the next century viii largely control the
commerce OF the greater part Of the world
Relative 70 the situation in China, Mr.. Hull
,,,ysed Minister RockhiIl OF having been inju-
sloious IN saying that the United States in
,snsed 10 return E20.0O0.OO0. its share Of the
Boxer indemnity. The Minister he said. did
n. have a proper conception of the character
n the Chinese people when he offered them a
~. Ia
take such an offer as an indication that this
country WIS afraid OF them. The Boxer indem-
uity. Mr.. Hull said. should be used TO build bat
,eships rather than returned 10 China. He
continued:
The charge has been made that the govern
rnent Of Japan IS stirring up trouble. desire
10 say that / have made some investigation
along that line. and I 90 not believe that there
Is one word Of truth IN thai propOsltlon Inc
merchants Of Japan and the merchants Of sew
e-al Of the European governments, when this
trouble first originated (the Chinese boycott
against American goO6s) were delighted TO see
the American boycott extend because they were
rivals IN trade. AS the fire spread II was found
put that they would be hit equally with US, and
now they LhemseIves-the merchants-are op-
posed 10 further citation along that line. The
japanese government IS led by farseeing men
men. IN nv judgment, Of great ability men Of
great qar-iOtism-and Japan IS Interested to-
6ay n peace IN the Orient. so that IL may
b able 70 build UP the splendid empire IL
is founding there, and the government OF Jap
ct VIII. I'D my Judgment, be one OF the strong
factors in preventing trouble with the Western
nations in China to-day.
Interrupted by Ny Sullivan. Of Massa-
chusetts. who asked If the best method Of Sc
curing universal peace was not through uni
versal disarmament M Hull replied:
believe. just as President Roosevelt has so
often said, that the best way on earth 10 avoid
war is always 10 be ready for IL We have not
Is 5 =
selfish that II would give UP any rights u could
hold By force. What has preserved the peace
OF Europe since the war Of 1870 between France
and Germany? The fact that every nation has
stood there ready 10 make war too costly for
any nation 10 engage IN II If the time can
come when al the nations IN the world can
csarrn a. once, thsn the time IS ripe for uni
versal peace, but DO not believe that the lion
and The lamb are going 70 lie down together
while remain on the earth
Mr.. Hull touched On the provision which would
IN the future make II impossible TO promote
officers 10 Z higher grade for q day and then
retire them. This had come 10 be an abuse
which ought 10 end. he said.
Referring 70 the provision abolishing the Office
Of lieutenant general when il shall become va
cant, Ny Hull said when the law creating the
General STAFF was created II was assumed and SC
stated that the Lieutenant general would be the
chief Of sra1 Up TO this time that had been the
cas- But" NJ Hull said. THE indications now
are-a1d 10 one desires 10 curtail the powers OF
he President II this gegard-that for the next
two years a. least The lieutenant general OF the
army VII have no posTeC which could not be
exercised by major or brIgadier general In
stead q being chief % staff he viii be assigned
70 the command OF q division and receive his
oroers from Z junior f. grade and rank. dc
not believe that this Is good military organiza-
non Nr. Huh said that since IL had become
known that The committee had taken action ht
LAC received Endorsements from many quarters
DO not think II slandering," he said, Ito say
mat The war with Spain has made more lieu
tenant generals than all other wars the republic
has engaged iu. II I had my way I would pro
VICE that every President, when he came int
once. might designate q chief OF staff who
should have the rank and pay Of lieutenant gen
era hut who should not be allowed 10 retire
With thar rank"
Speeches OF tariff, immigration and the Payn,
custom House bill cDusUmed the balance Of tht
Gay. Mr.. Hopkins Of Kentucky, spoke Of many
nethocs o. inducing Immigration 10 The United
eates much OF which he declared 10 be de-
coeoly undesirable Mr.. Sheppard, OF Texas
,rs-d tariff reform TO avert retaliatory tariffs
py other pa lions Mr.. Powers, Of Maine, spoke
against the abolition OF custom houses as
matter OF economy. and Mr. Macon, Of Georgia
answered his arguments.