The Washington herald., 1908-07-23

Z
in this country, President Roosevelt made
a strong appeal for q stronger navy. one
able 10 hammer its opponent until that
opponent quits fighting
The President declared that he spoke
only as a layman. and that his appeal
was addressed less TO the officers present
than 70 the great bulk Of his fellow
countrymen out OF naval circles
The President spoke for nearly forty
minutes He was continually interrupted
by applause from the 2d3 officers who
crowded the little lecture room
At the close or the Presidents speech
there was a brief recess. and then the
conference which IS considering plans
for the American battle ships Of the near
future. went into executive session
The President was invited 70 attend.
and took q prominent part IN the dis
cussion which followed
Gets Great Applause.
The President. during his speech. was
frequently aDDIauded. the greatest demon
strarion coming when he said. banging
the desk with his fist 10 emphasize his
remarks. As nation we need in the in
terest Of peace that the United States
navy with its ships officers and enlisted
men shall. from the top point 10 the low
est. be kept in the highest degree OF
efficiency and weIIbelng,'
There was much applause a few mo-
ments later when the President said that
''to advocate a navy for coast defense
only. stands on a par with the plan 10
advocate q school for prize fighting. IN
which one should not do anything but
paddy No fight was ever won except bv
hitting. and the greatest fault in the na-
ton OF the individual is hitting soft
Don't hit II sou can help L. but If you
do hit. hit hard, Those who want only
coast defense advocate principally that
We should hit soft. hope we never shall
have 10 hit and I believe we should en-
deavor at al times 20 avoid trouble. but
L this nation has TO go 10 war such
war VIII only be excusab bic II this nation
intends % hammer the opponent until the
opponent quits fighting
Raps Navy for Defense Only
Among other things the President said.
For instance. there IS always certain
number OF people amiabIe and weII-nean-
Ing. coupled with others not 50 well
meaning. who believe IN having a navy
more for self q coast defence navv.
such advocacy illustrates q habit OF
mind as old as nature That is 20 do
something and not 20 do anything
purely defensive navy. a mere coast de-
fence navy. would De almost worthless.
For the protection Of our coasts we need
fo-tihcations 50 that the navy may be
footIocse-
The President spoke at length about
the opposition 20 the feet gSng 20 the
Pacific and added that one prediction has
been that she feet would not 20 around
The world but IL is going. and il is go
ing now one criticism was that II
would leave New York defenceIess IN
the event Of war II war should ever
come that administration under which Il
came would be guilty Of folly If il used
the feet 10 protect any port
Function Is to Destroy.
Let the feet BE- footloose.~ he con
tIn-ed, so that Il can search out and
destroy the other feet. that is its func-
ton But no feet so ridiculous as a feet
for coast defense purposes could co II
To be rich. aggressive. and unarmed is
10 invite certain disaster and humiliation
II We had never taken the Philippines
there would be no occasion for any
change in our naval policy"
He said that he knew there had been
a great deal OF division Of sentiment as TO
the Philippines. but there was no divi-
sion as 70 the Monroe doctrine. as 20
policing and protecting the Panama
Canal, no division as 10 Porto Rico. and
no division as 10 Alaska. for while
Alaska IS on the same continent. Il is as
much separated from the United States
as II It were an island He added that
there also was no division as 10 the
United States
In Session Several weeks.
The conference now meeting AZ the
Naval War College has been in session
for several weeks II is composed Of
members OF the special battIe-ship com
mittee, the general board from Washing
ton. the Newport summer conference.
which meets every year. and the star Of
the Naval War College. headed by Rear
Admiral J. P Nforreu who Is chairman
Of the conference.
Never before n the history Of the navy
have rear aduirals and junior Heutenants.
with all intermediate grades. met for
such free discussion and criticism Of war
ship construction and armament It IS
said that the conference was brought
about at the suggestion of the President.
who believed that the time had come for
a frank expression OF all opinions as 10
proper batJle-ship construction
The conference did not end with the de-
parture Of the President for oyster Bay
this afternoon It will be continued here
and al Washington until some definite (
plans for the ships 20 be built in the near
future have been decided upon.
When the Mayflower. bringing the
President from Oyster Bay. appeared. the
old frigate Constellation, Admiral 9Ier-
relTs flagship for the day. doomed out IN [
salute. In a brief space Of time after the I
CONSULTATIONS salute. the President in a {
fast motor launch was speeding down the I
line receiving saIUtes from the new battle
ship Mississippi, Dewey's old flagship the I
the cruiser Montgomery, and /
the Dolphin
Receive the President.
On the Mercedes dock. so-cal'ed because /
the Reina Mercedes OF the Spanish San /
tiago feet Is moored there. when in New /
port, the officers designated TO attend at
the reception Of the President were drawn /
up with Admiral Morreu at their head. /
while brigade Of apprentice seamen un-
der arms stood attention on the parade I
ground.
As President Roosevelt stepped from 1
lis boat to the float the Presidents flag
was broken out al the main truck OF the 1
while Admiral AIorreU's 4
Tag went huttering down from the niz- 4
zen and twenty-one guns barked out the 4