Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-22
HOT AFTER THE SUBMARINE
ADVOCATES.

ADVOCATES.
Tho powerful lobby at Washington.
which has been side,racking the bat
tleship for the submarine Is to
be investigated, and 1t Ia 10 be hoped
that somebody will be smoked out"
As has been pointed out iE these coll
umns, the efficiency of the navy has
been threatened by the powerful
clique, which. for reasons easily to be
guessed, desire more submarines and
fewer battleships, despite the fact
that the former type OF vessels has
yet to prove Its worth. In their greed
these people have lost all sense OF
patriotism and all idea OF what con-
stitutes the best interests of the ma
ton. and the wording OF the resolu-
tion calling for an investigation of
the methods pursued by them in the
third house leaves no doubt but that
their ways are at least open to sus-
piciQn. There can be no longer any
question but that certain influences
are attempting TO foister upon the
country n type of an alleged fighting
machine which ninety nine per cent.
OF naval officers do not want to see
In the navy, except In an experiments
al way, ana 1t is timo that some do
csive action should le taken.
II Is almost incomprehensible how
men of supposed intelligence can
listen Ia the arguments" in what
ever form they may be. of the advo-
Gates of the submarine when the his
tory OF that vessel Is considered, for
every congressman must know that
the story of the submarine spells thu
far spells F-A-I-L-U-R-E In. this
connection IL might be well TO quote
Congressman Lilly. who introduced the
resolution demanding the invcstiga
ton Of the submarine lobby from the
papers of yesterday, He says: "Thc
Octopus was finished dome months
prior to the battleship Vermont.
which was completed a year ago and
is now admitted TO be obsolesccnt--
passing into desuctudc "a a fighting
machine, as result OF vast improve
ments which have been perfected
since her launching. A proposition
now to build battleship on the ont
Of date lines OF the Vermont would
be just as reasonable and unsuspi-
cionable as this arbitrary proposal to
acquire eight moro Octopusues."
Tho statement quoted has been
proved to DO an absolute truth In
every particular. Mr.. Lilly might
have gone even further and told OF
how the Octopus sunk during her ac-
ceptance trial and has not been run
.for months and that the first eight
submarines built by this country, AMI
for which large sums OF money were
expended are now nothing more than
so much junk, their sole value being
so much per pound for scrap iron. He
could also have told how Congress
has been asked for si25.0Oo to AK up
four submarines which were con-
structed less than a year ago. as
the repair appropriation for them has
been exhausted. Certainly the rec
ord OF the submarine does not war
rant In any particular their substltu-
ton for the battlcship.
This clique which is attempting to
saddle lot OF vessels that will be
useless to the nation Is endangerlng
the protection of the country. and II
is to be hopcd that tho Investigation
lw Congress will be so thorough that
1t will create an impression on the
submarine advocates that the best
thing for them to do is to cease thei..
efforts to shove lot of trash on the
nation. If the investigation IS sufh-
ciently rigid perhaps they will be
taught a little patriotism.
Tho man In Now Vor,, ,rh. T.,