Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-23
NAVY LEAGUE BANQUET
Col. Thompson Discusses
Merits of Personnel Bill.
CHAIRMAN FOSS RESPONDS
Dinner First by the Organization With
Ladies Present.
GEN. HORACE PORTER PRESIDES
Service in the Cause of International
Peace-Toast "To the Watch
Below"

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Below"
Peacefully, quietly and without personal
| violence the banquet to the Navy League
at the New Willard was concluded last
| evening. That fact, perhaps, was a disap-
pointment to some persons, for there had
! been rumors of sort of Gridiron Club de-
bate between Col. Robert Thompson and
! Representative Foss of the House commit
tee on naval affairs. But no clash occurred
| Col. Thompson was very positive in his
| statements to the needs of the navy, but
| Mr. Foss did not reply in incendiary vein.
| He said that the House had done q good
| deal for the navy in the past and was ready
| to do more In the future, and promised the
passage of the naval personnel bill at the
! next session of Congress. So everything
| ended happily, and after long evening of
| dining, song and speaking the gathering
| adjourned toward midnight, when, at the
word of the POSTMASTER, Gen. Horace Por-
| ter, the guests arose and in silence drank
| to the dead of the navy.
| The dinner was the first given by the
! league at which ladies We're present. The
innovation was considered a success, and
| several of the speakers alluded to it as
auguring we'll for increased influence of
| Tic lcdSue ACCUTulnS 10 MI. SulZeF OIL
New York, with the women of the land be-
| hind 1t the league would be, invincible, but
ne advised the members when they start to
use their influence on Congress to remember
| that though there are 1856 members in the
House, there is only one autocrat and ,3S5
automatons, and that If they would con-
centrate forces on the Speaker and tell him
| to order Chairman Foss to report the per-
sonnet bill from the committee, such would
| be done and the measure would be law be-
| fore the 4th of next March.
ION the Quarterback"
The gathering was brilliant one .'On
| the quarterback" raised table along one
| side of the room, were Gen. Horace Porter
the POSTMASTER, and score of guests
The other guests were seated at small
| tables about the room. In an alcove OH
| the side opposite the POSTMASTER was the
Marine Band. Above the musicians the big
| flag of the league, a blue field with a
gold anchor and the letters IN. L. was
suspended.
Gen. Porter spoke of the necessity for
| powerful navy. He said it is like light
| ming rod for the nation. 1t does not at
dissipates it. The speaker instanced the
| number of times that the navy had been of
service in the cause Of international peace,
and spoke of the great peace conference at
| the Portsmouth navy yard and the Marble
head conference off the coast of South
America. Gen. Porter remarked that both
the Secretary of the Navy and Admiral
| Dewey had accepted invitations to attend
| the banquet, but both were taken ill during
the afternoon and he regretted to announce
] their absence.
Power to Raise the Dead
Rear Admiral Barker was the first
| speaker. He created laughter by his re-
Spouse to Gen. Porter's introduction, say
! ing it was an honor he appreciated, for he
| recognized in the general not only a gal
liant soldier, an able legislator and a
highly-trained diplomatist but one with
| power to raise the dead. The speaker
\ referred in feeling terms to the service
| that had been done this country by bring
ing back the remains of John Paul Jones
1 to rest at Annapolis. 1t was remarked
| national necessity; that there is yet no
| sign of the millennium when nations will
| observe the golden rule, and till that time
| the navy is necessity.
Col. Thompson made the most serious
| speech of the evening. He referred to the
needs of the navy and the necessity of
| having young men promoted to command
| positions, that when reed arises they
| will possess the experience and training
| necessary to handle a fleet. The fleet, and
not the individual ship, the speaker ex-
planned. is now the unit of naval strength.
! He referred to the twenty-five years of
| stagnation in the navy that followed the
civil war and pointed out that now the
| junior captain of the navy is fifty-five years
| OF age, with nVe years TO serve before he
| attains feet command. He will be retired
! by operation of law upon attaining the age
of sxty-two years. No man, it was added,
| ought to be called on to command battle
| ship after he is fifty-five. the physical and
! mental strain being too great.
Naval Personnel Bill.
| Referring to the naval personnel bill, Col
| Thompson said it had been drawn by Off
| GERS of the navy who realized the need for
| wedding out the ranks and putting younger
! men in the upper places. The officers who
| had drawn the bill, it was explained, would
be the sufferers by its operation. They had
| in the aggregate cut themselves out of
81 100000 a year in pay, but they realized
the need of the navy in having men of the
right age in command, and had come for
ward voluntarily and offered themselves as
sacrifice The bill, the speaker went on
| to say, regarding the merits of which there
should be no debate, should become law.
| But it, had not been enacted, and If the
country should suddenly be plunged in war
1t would be disgracefuly beaten, not be-
| cause of lack of splendid ships and men,
| but because of absence of men of the right
age and vigor, trained and experienced, in
command.
Turning to Mr.. Foss the speaker said:
yes Mr.. Foss, l mean just what l say.
You gentlemen Of the House of Representa-
tives will be recreant to your duty and
traitorous to your country If you do not
realize the need that is on us and prepare
| to meet it, Had there been war and had
we been defeated, you would have been
sponsible and no one else. You have raised
! your own salaries, you have raised the sal
aries of the postal employees who have num-
bers and political influence, but you have
| neglected this urgent need of the navy,
when the officers come forward and offer
themselves as sacrifice. This condition
must remain till changed by law, and when
| the emergency comes you will be bitterly
| ashamed If you find you have not prepared
| for it,
Need Of Powerful Navy.
Mr.. Foss responded that he realized with
Gen. Porter the need of a powerful navy
and the necessity of it's always being pre-
pared for war. He said that Congress had
provided for the material of the navy quite
generously, and that it should also look
after the needs of the personnel. But, the
| speaker added. it should be remembered
that in 1889 Congress had passed person.
| III pod 70 Inc he