The Washington times., 1908-04-14
BUILD BIG NAVY.
PRESIDENT URGES
IN HIS MESSAGE
-Four New BattleShipS a
Necessity, He Tells
Congress.
Only Hope of United
States for Perma-
nenJ Peace.

In a special message 70 Congress
today, President Roosevelt urges
upon the Senate and House the
necessity Of passing at this session
bill authorizing four new battle
ships of the best and most ad-
Vanced type After this is done,
the President is OF the opinion that
one battleship per year VIII keep
our navy up TO the required
strength.
While other nations have been
building battIeships of a size and
armament which doubles or trebles
their effectiveness, the President
points out that this nation has been
providing for but one or two of this
class, and that the balance of power
Is now incining against US. Such a
course is unwise. he believes. even If
we frOnted on only the one ocean;
1t IS considered doubly unwise when
we front on two.
The message Of the President, in
part, follows:
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives: Let me again urge upon the
Congress the need Of providing for four
battleships Of the best and most ad-
vanced type at this session. Prior 10
the recent Hague conference ii. had been
my hope that an agreement could be
reached between the different nations
10 limit the increase OF naval arma-
ments, and especially TO limit the size
OF warships- Under these Circum-
stances I felt that the construction OF
one battleship a year would keep our
navy up 70 its then positive and reIa-
tive strength.
Bur actual experience showed nor
merely that II was impossible TO obtain
such al agreement for the Limitation Ct
arulanents among the various leading
powers. but that there was no nkeli-
hood whatever Of obtaining it IN TIC fu-
rUre within any reasonable tine. Coin
cideItally with this discovery occurred
q radical change n the building Of bat
tleships among the grsa- military ua-
tiOns-a change IN accordance With
which the most modern barIleships have
been or are Oeing constructed. Of q size
probably uebles. their effectiveness
Every other great naval nation has or
is building q number OF ships Of this
kind; We have provided for but two.
and therefore the balance Of power is
now inClning against US Under these
conditions. 10 provide FOR Du- one or
two bsttleships a year IS 10 provide
that this nation, instead or advancing,
shall go backward IN naval rank and
relative power among the great nations
Such a course would be unwise for US u
We frOnted merely on one ocean. and
II IS douoly 1PWise when we front on
As Chief Executive OF the Nation,
and as commander iu -hief OF the navy.
there is imposed upon me the solemn re-
sponsibiIity OF advising the Congress
OF the measures Vltaliy necessary 10
secure the peaC- and welfare OF the
republic in the event OF international
complications which are even remotely
responsibility, 1 earnestly advise that
the Congress now provide four battle
ships OF the most advanced type
A Measure of Peace.
I cannot too emphaticaIIy say that
this is a measure Of peace and not OF
war. I car. conceive OF no circumstances
under which this Republic would enter
into an aggressive war; most certainly.
under no circumstances would IL enter
into an aggressive war 20 extend its
territory OF in any other manner seek
material aggrandizemenL I advocate
that the United States build q navy
commensurate with IT'S powers and its
needs. because feel that such a navy
viii be the surest guaranty and safe
guand OF peace
Yet It is idle 10 assume, and from the
standpoint Of national interest and
honor IL IS mischievOus folly for any
statesman 10 assume, that this world
has Yet reached the stage or has come
within measurable distance OF the stage,
when q proud nation, jealous OF It's
honor and conscious Of its great mission
in the world, can be content 10 rely for
peace upon the fOrbear2nce OF other
powers 1t would be equally foolish 10
rely upCn each OF them possessing at
al times and under all circumstances
and provOcatiOnS an aIJruistic regard
for the rights Of others
Blind to Worlds Methods.
Those who ho'd this view are blind
indeed 10 all tnat has gone on before
their eyes in the world at large They
are blind 10 what has happened ii
China. IN Turkey. in the Spanish pos
sessions IN Central and South Africa.
during the last dozen years. For cen
turtles China has cultivated the very
spirit which our own peace-at-any-pric
men wish this country 20 adopt. For
centuries China ass refused 10 provide
military forces anS has treated the ca
reer Of the soldier as inferior in honor
and regard 10 the career OF the mer-
chant or OF the man OF letters.
When a naticn is so happily situated
as is ours-that is. when Il has no
reason 70 fear or to be feared BY its
Land neighbors-the feet Is all the more
necessary for the preservation OF peace.
Great Britain has been saved By Its
fleet from the necessity OF facing one
OF the two alter1stiVes-Of submission TO
conquest by a +crsign power OF OF it.
self becoming great military power.
The United States can hope for a pe--
manent career Of peace on only one con-
dltion and that is on condition OF