The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-10
AMERICA AND JAPAN
Symposium Of Nsws on Sending the Battlesh;ps to
 fhe Pacific

Below is trio of leading editorials from three leading New York papers on the subject of the relations between sending of the battleships to the Pa cific Coast:
 The New York Herald says: While indorsing unreseryedly The Worlds condemnation of "1ournalistfc Jingoism" The Herald feels constrained brilliantly successful contemporary re- | specting the "inexpediency" of the Presidents determination to send the battle ship fleet to the Pacific. As a uncompromising enemy of jingoism of any kind The Herald's motives for sup porting MT. Roosevelt in this question cannot be misinterpreted. In the long oa asesn'e ws1 fss Mersid fought resoiutely on the side of peace until the moment when Mr. Mckinley threw down the reins. to q jingo Con. of jingo press and war could no long CT be averted. But while denying the necessity of that conflict The Herald showed how essential 1t was that the any eventua1ity.
 Happily for the country, thanks to the late Mir. Whitney and, we may add, to MT. Roosevelt, this policy was fol- American navy was ready for and equal to the task imposed upon 1t.
 In the existing crisis a similar patri- otic conception of its duty to the na. tion forces The Herald to urge that our battle ship fleet be concentrated in Asiatic waters. Such a prudential and perfectly justifiabIe measure could not be regarded by Japan as provocation: any warlike significance the fleet should also pay friendly visit to Jap- anese ports.
 Recent British naval history contains more than one precedent for such step. When Anglo-German relations were strained almost to the breaking point the British naval forces in the Mediterranean were reduced and those Sea were reinforced. Although this measure usanifestly did not show an unlimited confidence in Germany, the latter country could not legitimately from making such disposition of the British fleet in British territorial wa- ters as she might thnk best fitted to further her policy and protect her inc Philippines the United States would be merely following the example set by Great Britain.
 Moreover. when the idea of despatch the Baltic was first mooted public opin- ion In Germany strongly resented the project Nevertheless, the British Gov. ernment didn't recede from the atti- ing the German "jingoes" time to calm down it sent a fleet into the Baltic to visit German ports. Such an act Of in- ternational courtesy could not possibly be construed as a casus b1lli. As matter of fact, Anglo German relations have been distinctly friendlier in tore since that cruise. and Great Britain is at the present moment preparing 10 welcomessthe German Emperor.
 Without bthe slightest doubt similar ly happy results would How from . friendly visit to Japanese ports of our battle ship squadron. For one thing. It ing influence upon Japanese "jingoism" and thus strengthen the hands of the Japanese Emperor and his ministers. who are as sincerely desirous of per esiuaR esistinE between aHs a Japan and the Unit ed States as Is the American people: In the fraternizing of American and Jap anese naval officers each would learn the Japanese people would be delight American fieet as a sign that the war clouds had dissipated and would wei come tho visitors with cord'aiity' of
 1T Thus the money spent by the Amer lean navy in foreign--i. c. Japanese- ports. would materially 5sneht te.1S- the ns- V opinion to the contrary.
 To eliminate every possibility of war, in fact, our battle ships should be sent to the Philippines via the Sues Canal and thence to Japan on fT1erdly Visit' Peace, not war, would follow.
 The New York Times says:
 This war with Japan, in which It IS conjectured, or hoped. or oelieved Una. we are about to engage. reprsstH ana effort. The anxiety aroused Is the ex. elusive portion of those who do not want a war. Hostilities may seem 70 them altogether unlikely, they see nV as absurd, nevertheless a good many among them cannot altogether ria themselves of apprehension. The ught.. hearted and imaginative promoters Q, they impose upon themselves is prodl. Rious-so very strenuous, indeed, that the labors of Hercules seem by oompar- ison like an idle summer aIternoon III a hammock. The current ot propsTs p;nst them. Nevertheless in things done' or things not done. they continue to see portents of var. 44,u
 Take the transfer of . neet ot paLte shins tc, the waters of the Pacinc coast Is it not a first rate thing to do as matter of routine. naval practice ana discipiIne? Times without numper we have sent our sduadrons 10 Gu!opoan and south American ports. until such assirnments have become merely repe- titions and without proft. To send sixteen battle ships through the Straits of Magellan to San Francisco Is to do o thing that never has been done. a new thing, and, therefore. of necessity an insfructiye thing. The doing of 1t wouid abound in valuable teaching of much future use to the navy Inas- much as our ships of war are for na- tional defense and not merely Tor pa rade and social use, 1t Is sunicientiy obvious that their practice duty should be performed near our own coasts
 where 1t may be supposed their nght- ing would have to be done IT nshtlnE should become necessary.
 For another thing. the making Of the two months voyage to Northern Pa cifIc waters would give very helpful innulse to the Panama Canal underta- kinw. 1t would fix the peoples atten- lion upon the necessity of completing that waterway, indispensable alike Tor commerce and as measure of na- tonai defense, The building of the canal Is difficult. 1t VIII be costly; we statesmanship to send battle ships to the Pacific merely as demonstration nf tha need of the canal and as a means of keeDing LID the interest and courage of the people in respect to that work.
 Moreover, from any point of view, Instead of being an occasion for anx@ iety 1t would seem that Secretary Met caif's design of sending fleet to the Pacific ought to allay anxiety. If war now seems possible or is threatened. inc sending to our west coast of ships enough to defend 1t against an assail- ,,ut vTho would attack us there if at all