Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-12
H0Bs0N PLEADS FOR BIG NAVY
Former Naval Officer Made Strong
Speech But Arguments He Ad-
vanced Were Vigorously Opposed by
Burton, Friend of the Presidcn;
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Affair Crops
Out.
lny Nssocintcd rrrsnl


WASHINGTON, II. c., FEB. ll.=Dc
claring that many members had gone
navy madr when consideration q,
the naval appropriation Dill WAS re
sumed in the House today. Mr.. ,;rcgg
OF Texas. opposed great naval pro-
gram, lie charged that prcs;d nj
Roosevelt had an unsettled naya. p0i
icy, and that he WAS trying TO ioIc5
II upon Congress. II, Mr.. Gregg saiu
The plea for four battlesnips was pas, 4
ON fear OF a conflict with Japan. IN.
presidents course had been pccuiia'
because. he said, as the relations with
Japan on December 3. 1906, were MOI.
strained when he asked tor on, ihil
than on December 3, 1907, when no
asked for four.
The best proof that TINS government
did, not anticipate war with Japan was
the fact that tho Atlantic fleet hru
been ordered to return from the ia
cinc waters.
In n vigorous speech Mir. liobaon. ol
Alabama, again pleaded for four bat
tlcships insiend OF two. When an
aggressive nation, lie NcciarcI, IN
vestigated tho question OF whetna.
n war was to be undertaken or no:
that nation did NOT ask about admins
irauon. maintenance and auxiliries.
but II asked how may battieships
has the other nation?'
Even margin or superiority IN
fighting ships. he said would tend -
conserve the peace. with only tiirec
more bttleships in 1898. Mr.. Hobson
said. The margin of superiority ne
tween the American and SPANS.
fleets would have been such as 10
have made possible the settlement OF
the case by diplomacy.
So important was this matter OF SUI
i>eriority, he said, that when Congress
hagglod over two battlosnips the
safety of the nation was being trineu
with.
MIR. Hobson again reverted to inc
alliance between Japan and England
and limited at possible union OF the
forces Of these two nations in cana
dian waters.
MIR. Hobson went so tar as to say
that $50.OOO,0O0 in batticships woulu
have enabled the United States 70
force Russia 10 evacuate Manchurla
at the time She agreed to do so, ana
in that case the war between Russia
and japan would have been averie a
Hobson Sees War Ahead
The war clouds are gathering
MIR. liobson said. but America couIu
By carrying out a legitimate poncy
prevent it, It is not vision: 1t =
not ii dream. You aud can do II
Let's begin by authorizing four bat.
iicships this year at tile least .1r
Burton. of Ohio. was rather inclmeo
TO discount Mr.. Hobson predictions
of war
notwithstanding the dire portent.
/ that the war clouds are gathering,
4 said he 81 am grained TO notice That
sAequanamity and contcntment preval
IN This chamber
lie could not, ne said. listed to Mr.
Robson without words OF empnatit
= Ssscnt, may even say. OF rcDuKe
AThc United States, he declared. was
nm the forefront OF modern civlnza
,,d,kn. and instead OF engaging III war
had made peace between nations
-, Il referred 10 President Roosevelt 5
vt In eflecting peace between RUS
:, II ana Japan, and said that not ons
ir twenty battleships nad anytime
do with that peace. 1t was accom-
plished rather through reliance
IN his fairness and the justice an
Observation-Disclosures of The American peo-
pie. he declared. which would have
\ been swept away if ne mad had those
ambitious which belong to a country
having great navy and seeking 10
/ dominate the nations of the earth.
Sympathy as an Arament
sympathy. he said. was q factor
more potent than ornaments. and no
nation now could afford TO impose
upon 2 weak people. The public opin-
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