New-York tribune., 1908-04-15
PLEA FOR BATTLESHIPS
PRESIDENT ASKS FOUR.
Urges Briefly Necessity of Increased
NQuaI armament.


priation for four new battleships was received
to-day by both houses of Congress. There was
considerable delay in the reading of the message
in both the Senate and the House. in the Senate
because Senator Foraker was engaged in MAX
ing his Brownsville speech when the document
was received. and in the House because that
body was in committee of the whole the
naval appropriation bill
1t quickly became known that the document
had reached the House All sorts Of questions
were asked of the floor leaders as TO when the
reading of the message would begin But
( typographical error in the print of the message
was seized upon by those opposed TO the four
battleships plan to delay the reading in the hope
that the provision relating 10 the battleships
would be first reached and thereby discount any
effect the message might have in bringing mem
bers to the Presidents view II looked at
time if it would be necessary to return
the message to the President that he might
make the necessary correction. and when this
was avoided further delay was caused by the
necessity Of d change which would transform
! the committee of the whole INTO the House
proper and then return To the committees
method of proceeding. Consequently the bill
was not laid before the House until just before
! the close of the days work It was enthusiast
tjcay received by the advocates Of q larger
navy.
applauding petition from citizens of New York
! City. which was read at the instance of Mr..
/ Tawney. protesting against 'the extravaganza
/ of spending over S60OOO0oo for four battle
/ ships" These demonstrations afforded n fair
/ opportunity to judge the temper Of the House
as a whole on the proposition. II appeared that
the opponents of four battleships were some
/ what in the majority. on an objection by Mr.
! Williams Mr.. Hobson was prevented from hav-
/ ing a memorial read from aborlng men favor
/ ing the building of more ships
! The message was read in the Senate under a
disadvantage. It was presented Immediately
/ after Senator Foraker's speech and while Vice
/ President Fairbanks was engaged in an attempt
/ to restore order. There was a loud hum OF
voices and the exodus of the throng from the
/ galleries added to the noise to such an extent
| that 1t quite difficult to hear the reading of
! the message. The secretary of the Senate came
/ TO the rescue by skimHing through the docu-
ment in short order, and a motion TO adjourn
ended the dilemma. Senators and members re
ceived copies of the message, and many read it
/ with avidity.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The message was brief but vigorous conten-
ton for the rapid development of the navy.
! China held up example Of the peace
at any price" doctrine. and Great Britain
| having the naval policy to be emulated- 1t
| contended that the result of the last Hague con-
ference made it plain that the nations would
/ Aot5foF some time, II ever. agree a plan OF
| limitation of naval armament. Disclaming any
intention on the part of the United States ever
10 engage in war of conquest. the President
| made it plain that this country could i'll afford
10 relax into position where insult would have
TO be borne in silence. The text Of the message
follows:
To the Senate and House OF Representatives:
Let me again urge upon the Congress the need
! OF providing for four battleships of the best and
most advanced type az this session. Prior To
the recent Hague conference it had been my
| hope that an agreement could be reached be-
tween the different nations TO limit the increase
| Of naval armaments, and especially to limit the
| size OF warships Under these circumstances
| l felt that the construction of one battleship
| year would keep navy UP 10 its then posi-
tive and relative strength. But actual expert
ence showed not merely that II was Impossible
TO obtain such agreement for the limitation
of ornaments among the various leading pow
/ eTs, but that there was no likelihood Whatever
| OF obtaining ii in the future within any reason
| able time. Coincidentally with this discovery
occurred a radical change in the building of bat
| tIeships among the great military nations-a
| change in accordance with which the most mod
| ern batteshps have been or are being con-
| structed, of size and armament which doubles
| or more probably treL-es. their effectiveness
! Every other great naval nation has or is build
ing number Of sn'ps Of this kind; we have
provided for but two and therefore the balance
! OF power is inch1i1g against Under
| these conditions, to provide for but one or two
! battleships year is TO provide that this nation
instead of advancing, snail go backward in
naval rank and relative power among the great
nations. Such course would be unwise for US
if fronted merely on one ocean, and IL is
doubly unwtse when we front on TWO oceans
A PEACE MEASURE
AS Chief Executive of the nation, and as COM
mander in chief OF the navy, there is imposed
upon the solemn responsibility of advising the
Congress OF the measures vitality necessary to
secure the peace and welfare Of the Republic
in the event Of International complications
which are even remotely possible. Having in
view this solemn responsibility, ! earnestly ad-
wise that the Congress now provide four battle
ships of the most advanced type. I cannot too
empha tically say that this Is a measure or peace
and not of war I can conceive Of no Circum-
stances under which tns Republic would enter
into an aggressive war, most certainly under
no circumstances would IL enter into aggres
eive war 70 extend its territory or in any other
manner seek ma terlal aggrandizement- ad-
vOCate that the Jnited States build navy COM
mensurate with its powers and iJs needs, be
cause | feel that such navy will be the surest
guarantee and safeguard Of peace. We are not
a military nation. Our army is so small as 10
present an almost absurd contrast 10 our size.
Il is property treated as little more than a
nucleus for organization in case OF serious war.
Yet we are a rich nation. and undefended wealth
invites aggression. The very liberty OF indt-
vidua speech and action, which We so prize and
guard. renders 1t possible that al times unex-
pected causes of friction with foreign powers
may suddenly develop.
At this moment vve are negotiatinS arbitra-
ton treaties with all Of the other great powers
that are willing TO enter into them These ar
bitration treaties have special usefulness, be-
they render II morally incumbent upon both
nations seek first TO reach an agreement
through arbitration. and at least secure a
breathing space during which the cool Judgment
of the two nations involved may get the upper
hand over any mOment4ry burst OF anger. ! hese
arbitration treaties are entered into not only