The Washington herald., 1907-07-07
SUNDAY. JULY Z. 1907.
Guaranteeing Peace by a Threat.

We are assured by the promoters Of the
big feet 20 the Pacific will set at rest
all fear of war with Japan and guaran-
tee. peace in the Orient for all time.
But how. if the feet is TO be brought
back after a few months, as Mr. Loeb,
speaking in behalf Of the President, says
it will be? or If it is going simply on a
practice cruise" as Mr. Metcalf ex-
plains, in order TO afford the people OF
California seaside resorts the finest ma
val spectacle ever witnessed in Pacific
watersg''
The whole peace argument, so far, At
any rate. as the immediate present is con-
cerned. falls to the ground when con-
fronted with the hard fact that the bat
Sle-ship fleet, when it gets 20 the Pacific
past. will have no alternative but 10 re-
- I'm. There are no docking or repair IA
scilities on the Pacific coast of sufficient
capacity 20 take care Of so large a fleet.
nor are there such facilities in the Orient.
The japanese are well aware OF this. and
the news from Tokyo that they feel no
apprehensions over the threatened ap-
proach Of our armada Is Of significance
from more than one point Of view. Jap
anese naval strategists, in fact. have
placed their fingers at once upon the vi
tally weak spot i'm our ambitious naval
programme, which is that We have no
rendezvous for the battle-ship fleet To
send so large a squadron of war ships to
the far East, under the existing physical
circumstances. would. as they acutclv OBJ
serve, simply mean that the vessels
would be an easy prey TO torpedo boats
and deStTOyers' As matters now stand.
We cannot maintain fleet Of sixteen or
more battle ships on the Pacific coast or
in the Orient for any length Of time
That IS why. undoubtedly. Mr.. Loebs
statement assures US that after a few
months the fleet viii be brought back, to-
sgether, TO the Atlantic coast" Il will
{ come back because it must. and. after it
s SFeturns. how Will it be able 10 guaran-
see peace in the Orient?
q We are well aware what reply will be
s. nade TO this representation Of the true
s tate Of the case. II is that if We have
o naval bases in the Pacific, we ought TO
ave them at once, so that we may be
zA5le TO maintain a predominant naval
force in Oriental waters That is part of
the new naval policy which il is now
sought to impose on the country. Pres
ideut Roosevelt says the New York Her
aid will supplement the new policy of
Ia fffa-rhfr concentration Ia 4bo Dale.
with a determined effort 10 induce Con-
gress TO Upbuild an immense naval base
at Olongapo." Of course. that is the only
thing 20 do; II we are TO have an immense
navy in the Pacific, we shall have to pro-
vide means for its sustentation. protec-
ton. and repair.
This leads us TO the important issue
which must be brought squarely home to
every American citizen:
Do conditions in the far East Justify
complete revolution in our naval policy.
the doubling of our navy in size. and
more than doubling our naval expendi-
ture?
If they do. then the administration is
in possession Of information Of which the
public is totally unaware. and which
ought 10 be given currency at once; or
else the President IS playing an exceed
ingly dangerous game, with national hon
or and na ional destiny at stake If the
dispatch of a formidable feet to the Pa
cifc coast be not a merely senseless ma
neuver. it is a menacing threat to a na-
ton with which We are. officially. on the
best Of terms. To maintain that such
threat is the surest guaranty Of peace
is as absurd as it is illogical.