Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-16
Tawncy Leads Opposition.

louBnJ eIIoTt TO increase the NUMBER 10
four.
Tawney Leads Opposition.
The increase was opposed by Mr.. Tawney
chairman Of the committee on appropria-
tions Mr.. Foss. chairman of the committee
on naval affairs: Mr.. Wiletts, a minority
leader. and others, and was advocated by
Mr. Hobson of Alabama, who declared that
in relation to the increase Of other nations
four battleships would only keep the
American navy abreast Of other great
navies. Mr. Longworth of Ohio, in a Wig
orous speech. told the house that the
president was more interested in this in
crease than in any other question before
congress and, as practically all of them had
in the last election declared that they sup
ported him, this was a good opportunity to
live up to that declaration.
An amendment by Mr. Tawney to reduce
the number of new battleships to one was
voted down by ap even more decided ma
jority than was Mr.. Hobsons proposition
for increase to four
A provision for two fleet GOLFERS Of six
teen knots and of 12,5O0 tons capacity, cost
ing $1,S0O,O0O each, was adopted. Amend
ments were adopted that one of the battle
ships and one of the GOLFERS shall be built
in navy yard. The bill as it stands au-
thorizes expenditures of $l07,S73,0O0
Speech by Mr.. Tawney.
During the consideration of the naval
appropriation bill in the house of repre-
sentatives today Chairman Tawney of the
committee on appropriations, in moving to
reduce the number of battleships from two
to one, again pointed out the danger in
which the treasury is being placed by the
immense increases in appropriations author
lied in the several supply measures.
Mr.. Tawneys remarks were made par
ticularly applicable to the demand for four
batteships instead of two He contem-
plated theS appropriations in various coun-
! tries in preparation for war and on ae-
count of wars and said the startling fact
was developed that the United States was
spending more than any other nation in
the world. I'VE are this year" he said,
expending $s4,975.2 23s more than England;
| $lS6. ,S3S more than Germany and S152,-
! 1886 more than France
Continuing the comparison, Mr.. Tawney
declared further that on account of prep
arations fer war, the United States, with
an army of 5000 men and navy of
1900 men, is expending this year only S66,
! 47S.7Ol.1S less than England with army
| of 4,3OO men and a navy of $4,000 men.
The United States is expending for this
! purpose only $S5,sS4 $500 less than Ger
many with its army of 100000 and its
navy of 5000 men. The United States is
| expending for this purpose in excess of the
amount expended by France with its army
| of $4,000 men and it's navy of 56,2S5 men,
! $2.6S246.
! Maintaining that nAvies are built for
national defense, Mr.. Tawney said they
! were not intended and could not be justi-
| fled upon the ground that they are neces-
| sary to satisfy an ambition either indi-
vidual or national to compete with other
nations in time OF peace in size and num-
| ber of fighting machines. He argued that
in the United States the prestige and
power of the nation did not depend upon
the size of the army and navy and that
there is no chance of war.
Large Navy Not Needed.
"There is no policy of our government" A"
he said "either foreign or domestic, TO en-
force which the size of either is the first
or only essential"
Mr Tawney charged that the United
States in the past had pursued a bunglinG
naval policy and he pointed out that the
/ journey OF the Atlantic fleet 10 the Pacific
was made possible only through the and OF
twenty-eight vessels flying a foreign flag
"A most disgusting spectacle was never
witnessed" he said, and he condemned the
naval policy which had overlooked auxil-
iary vessels TO supply a fleet with the
means absolutely essential to its existence
1T may be- he said in conclusion, thai
this mistake is due to the feet that a col.
lier, which is as essential TO the efficiency
of the navy battleship, is not so at
tractive does not involve the expenditure
Of so much money and does not afford the
opportunity for the same pyrotechnic dis
play upon the occasion or at the summer
resorts along the coast and for that rea-
son we have made the mistake OF building
a navy that today, In order to make Ia
voyage from one ocean to another Is
obliged to rely upon the vessels belonging