The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-15
NAVY SAFEGUARD
FOR NATIONS PEACE
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naval rank and relative power
among the great nations. Such Il
course would be unwlsc for us if
we fronted merely on one ocean,
aud II Is donbly unwise for us IL
we front ON two oceans.
AS chief executive of the ma
ton and as commandments chief Of
the navy, there is imposed upon me
the solemn responsibility of i'd
visiag the Congress Of the measures
yitally necessary Ito secure the
peace and welfare of the republic in
the event of international compli-
cations which are even remotely
possible.
Measure OF PcHcc.
Having in view this solemn re-
sponsib!lty, earnestly advise that
the Congress now provide four bat
tloships OF the most advanced type.
u cannot too emphatically say
that this Is a measure OF peace, and
not of war. can conceive of no
circumstances under which this re-
public would enter into an aggres-
siVe war: most certainly, under no
circumstances would 1t enter into
an aggressive war TO cx-
Tend its territory or in any
other manner seem material
ggrandizement. / advocate that
the United States build navy
commensurate with it's powers and
It's needs. because feel that such
a navy will be the surest guaranty
and safeguard of peace.
I'VE are not a military nation.
our army Is so small as to present
an almost absurd contrast TO our
size. 1t is properly treated as little
more than Il nucleus for organize
ton in case OF serious war. Yet we
are "A rich nation. and undefended
wealth invites aggression. The
very liberty OF individual speech
and action. which we so prize and
guard, renders It possible that at
times unexpected causes of friction
with foreign powers may suddenly
develop. At this moment we are
negotiating arbitration treaties
with all the other great powers
that are willing to enter into
Look nj CHM.
yet 1t is idle 70 assume that
this void has yet reached the
stage. or has come within measur-
able distance OF the stage. when a
proud nation. Jealous OF it's honor
and conscious OF its great mission
Ia the world. can be content to re-
ly for peace upon the forbear-
ance of ctl:er powers. IT would be
equally foolish to rely upon each
Of them possessing at all times and
under Ill circumstances and pro-
vocations an altrulstc 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
emma. in Turkey. in the Spanish
possessions. in Central and South
Africa during the last dozen years.
r or centuries China has cultivated
the very spirit. which our own
peace at-anypr!ce men wish this
country to adopt. For centuries
CHINA has refused to provide mill
tary forces, and has treated the
career of the soldier as inferior in
nonor and regard to the career of
the merchant. or 81 the man of let
ters. There never has been so
large an empire which for so long
ii Nllslt has 90 iF1blANttS ~ pi'Fb't
on the theory OF doing away with
what is called 'militarism.'
Whether tile result has been
happy in Internal affairs I need
not discuss. In external affairs the
policy has resulted in various
other nations now holding large
portions of Chinese territory, while
there is very acute fear in China
lest the empire. because of its de-
fenselessness. be exposed to abso-
lutte Acknowledgement, and its we'll
wishers are able to help 1t only in
a small measure. because no ma
tion can help any other unless that
other can help itself.
THE STATE Department is contin-
ually appealed to to interfere on
behalf Of peoples and nationalities
who insist that they are suffering
from oppression. All of this OPP
preston is alleged to exist in time
of profound peace. and frequently,
although by no means always. 1t
is alleged to occur at the hands of
people who are not very formidable