The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-09
THE B4rr1EsHIP K1PEDI1rox

4HE B4IILESHIP EIPED1I1V%
The more one learns of the eontem-
plated expedition of an American bat
tleship feet to the distant waters Of
the East the more uncomfortable be-
comes the impression made 1T Is no.
tieeable and disturbing fact that the
news Of the enterprise is received joy
fully by the lingo element Of the press
which did so much to hasten the war
with Spain, ana apprehensively by the
conservative element, which exhausted
its resources in aiding President Nc
Kinley to effect compromise with
Spain that war might be avoided.
The latest news from Sycamore Hill,
which for the present is the seat of the
American government, is to the effect
that the conclusion has been reached
there by the President of the United
States that something more pointed Is
needed to eiucidate his views upon the
subject of a big navy as a guarantee of
peace than either additional words or
additional ships. The time has come to
give the world an impressive object
lesson Of the ease with which this gov
eminent can protect either or both Of
the extended shore lines of the United
States. admiral Brownson. after a
lunch with the President, said the 9th
er day: There is no time like the pres
ent for such demonstration. time
when the United States is at perfect
peace with every nation"
1t may be true that the movement OF
battleship feet from the Atlantic to
the Pacific in the manner proposed
would prove to those directly interest,"
ed that our government Is Johnny on
the Spot in these as In other matters.
but what need is there for impressing
anybody at this time? From the point
Of view Of the delegates at The Hague
peace conference it is a most inoppor-
tune time to undertake to play to the
galleries Of the watchful nations, In
their judgment 1t Is far more likely to
create unnecessarily a hostile atnos-
phere in Japan to the harmful disturb
ance of friendly relations and the fur
ther postponement of reciprocal COM
merce. Says the correspondent Of the
Associated Press. and 1t may we'll be
| believed that he represents the Amerl-
can delegates there; Although the
sending of fleet by the United States
to the Pacific cannot be interpreted as
a threat, 1t is generally admitted here
that such action may give rise to a
dangerous popular excitement which
| the administration at Washington
might not be able to control" 1t was
this dangerous popular excitement In
1898 which the Washington admInlstra-
ton with all of its power was unable
to control and which ended in tup-
penny war, too small to distribute the
honors belonging to talent Of high
order.
Unless there is the gravest reason
for making such a demonstration OF
which the country knows absolutely
nothing, It should be abandoned al
Ionce. 1t is not enough TO be told by
President Roosevelt and by the minis
try of Japan that both understand the
harmless character Of the expedi-
ton. The multitudes In Japan will
listen rather to the voice Of Admiral
Sakamoto, who insultingly says that
American naval officers are brilliant
figures at balls and social gatherings
but they are very deficient In profess
sional practice and training" The
kind of fire such comments start and the
kind Of fuel they invite hot headed
Americans TO pile on the BURNING
structure are apt to provoke condi
ton which honeyed words from patri
otto men canot control, There is mort
to be gained at present by the
abandonment of the expedition thar
by going ahead with 1t. Obviously Il
is not carefully thought out plan o.
else the people Of the country are be-
ling kept in dire ignorance of their owr
Iwelfare.