Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-15
PRESIDENT ASKS
FOR LARGE NAVY
ROOSEVELT URGES NEED OF
BATTLESHIPS
"BE READY FOR WAR If you
SEEK PEACE"
Communication from the White House
Requests Congress to Increase
Appropriation for
Vessels
Continued from Page one)


and therefore the balance of power Is
now inclining against US.
Under these conditions to provide
for but one or two battleships year
is to provide that this nation instead
of advancing shall go backwards In
naval rank and relative power among
the great nations.
such a course would be unwise for
us if we fronted merely on one ocean
and 1t is doubly unwise for us If we
front on two oceans. AS chief execu-
tive of the nation and as commander
in-chief of the navy the responsibility
imposed upon me. the solemn respon-
sibility of advising the congress of the
measures vitally necessary to secure
the peace and welfare of the republic
in the event of International complica-
tions, which are even remotely possible.
Asks for BattleshIps
Having in view this solemn respon-
sibility, 1 earnestly advise that the
congress now provide four battleships
of the most advanced type. / cannot
too ernphatically say that this Is q
measure of peace and not of war.
can conceive of no circumstances I'M
der which this republic would enter
into an aggressive war to extend its
territory or in any other manner seek
material aggrandizement 1 advocate
that the United States build a navy
commensurate with its powers and its
needs, because I feel that such navy
will be surest guaranty and safeguard
of peace.
1--WE are not a military nation. Our
army is SO small as to present an al
most absurd contrast to our size. 1t is
properly treated as little more than a
nucleus for organization In case of
serious war. Yet we are rich nation
and undefended wealth invites aggres-
sion. The very liberty of individual
speech and action which we prize and
guard, renders II possible that at times
unexpected causes of friction with for
eign powers may suddenly develop Az
this moment we are negotiating arbt-
tration treaties with all the other pow
ers that are willing to enter into them.
These arbitration treaties have spec
ial usefulness because in the event OF
some sudden disagreement they render
It morally incumbent upon both nations
to seek first to reach an agreement
through arbitration and at least secure
breathing space during which the
cool Judgment of the two nations in
volved may get the upperhand over any
momentary burst of anger.
These arbitration treaties are not
only for the purpose of ending wrong
doing by others against us but also as
proof that we have no intention OF
doing wrong ourselves.
yet It is idle to assume and from the
standpoint of national interest and
honor 1t is mischevious folly for any
statesman to assume that this world
has vet reached the stage or has come
within measurable distance of the stage
when a proud nation Jealous of its
honor or conscious of its great mission
in the world can be content to rely for
peace upon the forbearance of other
powers.
Cites Examples
SIT would be equally foolish to rely
upon each of them possessing at all
times and under all circumstances and
proyocations an altruistic regard for
the rights of others Those who hold
this view are blind indeed to all that
has gone on before their eyes in the
world at large. They are blind to what
has happened in China, in Turkey, in
the Spanish possessions, in Central and
South Africa during the last dozen
years.
For centuries China has cultivated
the very spirit which our own peace
at-any-price men wish this country to
adopt. For centuries China has re-
fused to provide military forces and
has treated the career of the soldier as
inferior in honor and regard to the
career of the merchant or of the man
of letters. There never has been so
large an empire which for so long a
time has resolutely proceeded on the
theory of doing away with what is
called militarism.
whether the result has been happy
in internal affairs need not discuss, all
the advanced reformers and far-sight-
ed patriots in the Chinese ministry are
at present seeking Il may add with
our hearty good Wild for radical and
far-reaching reform in internal affairs.
"In external affairs the policy has
resulted in various other nations now
holding large portions of Chinese ter
ritory while there is a very acute fear
in China lest the empire because Of its
defenselessness be exposed to absolute
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and it's wellwishers are
able to hold it only in a small measure
because no nation can help at once
unless that other can help itself
1.-THE United States is continually
appeaed to to interfere on behalf OF
peoples and nationalities who insist
that they are suffering from oppres-
sion--now Jews in one country, now
Christians in another; now black men
said to be oppressed by white men in
Africa, Armenians, Koreans, Firms
Poles, representatives of all, appeal at
times to this government.
Tales of Oppression
"All of this oppression Is alleged to
exist in time of peace and frequently
although by no means always Ii is
alleged to occur at the hands of people
who are not very formidable in mill
itary sense.
I'm some cases the accusations of
oppression and wrongdoing are doubt
less ill-fCunded. In others they are
most appalling loss OF life is shown
to have occurred, accompanied by
frightful cruelty.
1T is not our province to decide
which side has been right and which
has been wrong in all or any of these
controversies. am now referring to
the loss of life. 1t is probably con-
serVative statement to say that within
the last twelve years, at periods OF
profound peace and not q result OF war,
massacres and butcheries have oc-
Cured in which more lives of men,
women and children have been lost
than in any single great war since
the close of the Napoleonic struggles.
"ro any public man who knows the
complaints continually made to the
state department there Is an element of
grim tragedy in the claim that the
time has gone by when weak nations
can be oppressed by those who are
stronger without arousing effective
protest from other strong interests.
Even this atill fresh in the mind of