Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-30
BIG TWO OCEAN NAVY
Justice Harlan, OF Supreme
Court Suggests Best Method
of Avoiding War
DOES NOT EXPECT ONE SOON
But 1t May Como Unexpectedly, Be-
Iisves Supreme Court Jurist, If Ma
ton Is Not Prepared-Thinks All
Our Seaports Should 30 Made Strong

ton Is Not Prepared-Thinks All
Our Seaports Should 30 Made Strong
Justice John Marshall Harlan's talk
ut the recent Navy league dinner in
Washington. when he prophesied q
war some time between the white and
yellow races which would shake the
earth" and at the sane time entered
vigorous plea for immediate ant!
substantial increase Of the navy, has
aroused the widest interest In Wash
ington, says special dispatch to the
New York Times.
1t has not been possible to obtain a
full stenographic report of what JUS
tice Harlan said and he declines to be
quoted In further explanation OF his
views. 1t is possible, however, to give
in substance an outline Of some OF the
views Of the justice.
He believes 1t to be Of paramount
Importance to make immediate and ex-
tensive preparation for war. not be
cause he apprehends the occurrence OF
war with any nation, but because be
believes that in the most efficient prep
aration for it lies the best method OF
avoiding 1t.
This thorough preparation, IN bis
opinion, involves the creation of a
great two ocean navy, and II he had
his way he would, as he said at the
Navy league dinner, vote $50,OOO,00O a
year for ten years for the construction
OF battleships and the general equip
ment OF the navy. In his view 1t is
not only necessary to increase mate
rally the number Of fighting ships, but
to see that from year to year others
are constructed to take the places of
those which are outgrown in point OF
fighting ability by the advance In ma
val construction.
He believes that u nation which Is
weak In martial spirit or which has
not strong navy is in danger OF be
ing forced into war when 1t is not de
sired and when the nation is least able
to meet such an emergency. The Amer
lean people are not for conquest. he
says, and do not want war. There is
no territory that they desire. and the
probable fact is that they have more
now than they desire. They would
have rejected emphatically the Philip
pines as a gift; but, having assumed
the responsibility for them as an act
Of war. they are bound to live up to
that responsibility and discharge the
duty 1t imposes on them by atfordina
the islands the fullest protection.
In conjunction. therefore, with his
belief in the obligation to build ships
he holds that it Is the duty Of the
country to fortify thoroughly every
seaport under the American flag and
make 1t impregnable. War comes sud
denly. he says, and from the most
peaceful outlook it may develop before
1t is possible to make preparations OF
even build battleship, much less d
navy.
AS he views the general outlook for
the United States there Is no nation
with which we are in any prospect OF
having war. But that does not impair
the obligation Of the country to make
ready for the unforeseen emergency
President Mckinley strove to his ut
most to prevent war with Spain. but
In spite of him 1t came and In less
time from the moment when 1t was
first suggested than it takes to con-
struct even one Of the smallest naval
vessels.
Although Justice Harlan believes
that the time is coming when there
will be gigantic contest for suprem-
acy between the white and yellow
races, he does not apprehend that the
struggle is at all imminent. When 1t
does come, he wants the United States
to be thoroughly ready, and one OF the
first elements of preparation, in his
opinion, is the creation and mainte-
nance of great two ocean navy.