The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-20
WANTS NO War.
Captain Congressman Hobson
at the Topeka Chautauaua.
Makes Clear His Position on In
creased Armament.
MUST BE READY.
Large, Powerful Navy Would
Promote Peace.
Now i'm No Position or Conflict
With Japan.

The auditorium at Garfield park was
filed to Overlooking last evening when
Captain Richmond P. Hobson began his
speech in the interest of a larger navy.
The speech was directly antagonistic
to the arguments advanced by some
preceding speakers on the Chautauqua
programme and was a revelation to the
majority of these present. Captain
Hobson spoke for an hour and a half
and had his audience with him at all
times. Almost at the outset he asked
permission to take off his coat and thus
even things up with the audience who
could use fans. The crowd promptly
agreed and he removed his coat amid
applause. By his straightforward and
manly way of presenting his subject and
his extreme earnestress the speaker
commanded the respect and admiration
OF every one present.
AT the beginning Mr.. Hobson made it
plain that he was talking in the in
terests of universal peace. He express
ed his belief that America must always
lead in the peace. movements of the
world as they are now doing at The
Hague conference Other nations We're
care and occupation, but 1t is not so
with u.s." said he. I'VE are great as a
nation of peace. We have solved the
problem of a world Organization in our
internal government and must lead the
world to a plan of cooperation. If we
can keep the peace of the world for one
generation, the militarism of the world
will fall by its own weight. We cannot
however, hope to exert powerful in
fiuence among the world powers with
out q navy to command respect
The speaker took up the question
of war with Japan and declared that
Japan is trying to bring on a conflict
in the near future while we are in no
condition to engage in such strug-
gle. 1.-The apanese army has an or
ganization and equipment not dream
a@ of hi
and their navy today is far more eff
ficient than our own" he said. "They
are spending about four times as
much per year as the United States
to maintain and increase their naval
force. They have massed their army
in Fornosa but a step from the Phil
ippines on the pretext of disturbances
there, they have fifty thousand able
bodied men / nthe Hawaiian islands,
they have many thousands of intel
ligent, trained men in this country,
and all that is wanting is pretext for
war. All the nations of Europe ex-
pect such war and our delegates at
The Hague conference dare not con-
fer with the Korean delegation for
fear OF furnishing 1.-THE looked for ex-
cuse. The preSfdeaft has had to bear
insulting demands from the Japanese
government in connection with the
San Francisco school affair and we
must continue to eat dirt because we
dare not go to war. If war were to
come tomorrow, all our Pacific pos
sessions would be at the mercy of
Japan. They have made all the nee
essary military, naval and diplomatic
preparations not the least of which is
an alliance with Great Britain. By ac-
ceding to the constant demands of the
apanese government, we are surren-
dering the most sacred rights we pos
sess-the rights of local self-govern-
ment. Our president does not dare to
send the fleet to the Pacific as an
nounced for fear he may give the
needed excuse"
Mr.. Hobson next took up the cost of
the proposed naval programme and
showedh that with our resources, the
cost would not be felt in any way by
the people. I'VE c1amor for money
for internal improvements such as the
work on rivers and harbors, but what
will such improvements amount to If
we lack g. police force to protect
them?" said the speaker. "The
largest cities have the largest police
force and this is considered sensible.
We are the largest nation and why
should we not have the greatest navy
for the safeguarding of our interests
throughout the world. This money |
would really be spent for insurance |
which we dare not do without. One
twentieth of the liquor bill each year
would be sufficient to carry out a pro- |