The Washington herald., 1908-08-16

NN board [. s. s Louisiana, z
5 Battle Fleet Honolulu. H. I,
July 22-The Atlantic feet. as
the world girdling collection Of
sixteen American battle ships is known
officially. although designated as the bat
tie feet by President Roosevelt IN his
annual message 10 Congress last Decem-
Der. came face 10 face here with one
Of the hard facts Of national urgent
need-ths immediate Improvement Of
Pearl Harbor-
The feet anchored FOR the most part IL
the open roadstead on Honolulu harbor.
There was 10 room for all the ships In
side Only eight miles away is one Of the
finest natural harbors n the world. a
place Of shelter just now more important
20 the United States, from a military and
commercial standpoint, than any harbor
Il possesses Not one OF these sixteen
battle ships could enter f. They could
not even coal on Honolulu with comfort
-Four ships had TO seek the sheltering lee
of the Island Of Maui. seventy miles
away, 10 supply themselves with fuel
The others found room one by one ir
Houolulus small harbor.
Z there IS one fact that has been drilled
into the minds Of the American people n
recent years Il IS that the Pacific Ocean
is the legitimate sphere OF action for The
energy Of the United states from a diplO-
matte. military. and commercial view
point. IN g loose way Of speaking. those
experienced in statecraft have spoken Of
this matter OF national action as mean
ing the control Of the Pacific
No such policy. directly or Indirectly.
has ever been formulated or enUnCiated
by the American government- What has
been made plain is that the American
people have begun TO realize that peace
upon the sea- especially the Pacific. with
a door open To al. Is essential 10 our na-
tiouGI development
No one expects or even desires the
United States 20 secure absolute control
o5 the Pacific All Americans do wish 70
see II Amerscanlzed. that is. they want
this country 10 make sure that no other
nation shall control It. and that IN the
friendly rivalry 70 be developed on the
Pacilc every nation shall have an equal
chance To bring this about there must
be peace. TO make sure Of peace. the i'm
rroveueut and Immediate use Of Pearl
Earbcr IS as necessary 10 the American
ism Of the Pacific as an adequate supply
Of water and 1000 IS TO an army on the
march
Cry for Opening the HarbOr.
In its primary purpose the problem of
developing Pearl Earbor is essentially
military The presence OF this great feet
Of battle ships lying of its deep recesses
was mute testimony 10 this fact There
was the great harb0r with its entrsncs
only partly opened. with q site already
purchased for q great naval station. and
there was the great feet outside with an
immediate need Of the place for coaIing
10 say nothing OF ultimate use That feet
was literally knocking al the door OF the
herbor. and if The ships could have given
tongue TO their inseasate impulses q
mighty roar would have been heard from
here clear across the United States, which
being interpreted would have said
open Pearl Har5or at once TO the
navy OF the United States
That CRY would have meant solely that
the navy must have a complete naval sta
Jio1 in Pearl Har5or II the country ex-
poets the navy 10 defend It adequately
from attack IN the Pacific Il would have
meant that national protection demands
this naval station Il would have meant
10 more. for the navy as an entity con
Germs itself strictly with its own affairs
and 10 a man those who are on its Of
fetal register know that without Pear
HaEbor Il cannot DO the work Of nariora
protection IN the Pacific that the country
would like 70 have i do
Listen 10 what The foremost recognized