Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-23
DECLARES SELF IN FAVOR OF
FIGHTING FORCE THAT WILL
BE ABLE TO "tiAMMER AN oP-
PoNENT UNTIL HE QUITS"
CRUISE OF FLEET
AN OBJECT LESSON
PRESIDENT TELLS NAVAL Off
GERS TRIP AROUND SOUTH
AMERICA SHOWED REALITY OF
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.

Newport, R. l., July 22.--President
Roosevelt arrived here at 10 o'clock
this morning on board the Mayflower
TO take part In most important con-
ference of naval officers affecting the
future construction of American bat
tleships, cruisers and other question
bearing on the sea fighting establish
ment Of the future. More than hun.
dred officers OF the navy with large
representation from the army partici-
pated in the conference.
The president delivered an address,
after which he participated in dis
:ussion of the merits of various plans
with the officers and took up the crit
lcisms that were recently made upon
American naval construction.
No Solution Probable at Present.
It is not expected a definite solu-
tion Of any one problem will be reach
ed today. The conference will con-
dnue after the president has returned
to Oyster Bay this afternoon and 1t is
believed whatever the consensus of
opinion formed here may ultimately
be, the whole problem of warship de-
signs will be referred hack to the
war college and the board Of construc-
tion at Washington for determination,
with the president as the final ar
bitter.
Wants Har4Hitting Navy.
Prior to entering the conference
room the president made an extern
poraneous address in the library If
the war college before two hundred
naval officers and their wives. 1t was
stirring appeal for a hard-hitting
navy.
II want a first-class fighting navy
or no navy at all,,' he said, because
a first-class fighting navy is the most
effective guarantee of peace this ma
ton can have.
There are always number Of
amiable, we'll meaning people who be-
lieye in having a navy merely for
coast defense. A purely defensive
navy would be almost worthless and
to advocate such a navy is like advo-
eating school of prize fighting in
which no one should do anything but
parry.
Would Hammer Until They Quit.
hope this nation will never have
to hit. We should do everything that
honorably can be done to avoid trou-
Bile. But when we do go to war, that
war is only excusable If the navy is
prepared to hammer its opponent. un.
til he quits fighting, and you can't t
hammer your opponent if you wait for
him to come to your coast and ham
mer you first For the protection OF
our coasts we need fortifications, so
that the navy may be left free to
stretch out and destroy the enemy
This is its function"
The president declared that even If
the United States had no island pos
sessions the need for an aggressive
naval policy would still be present.
"The Monroe doctrine he declared
had almost fallen into disgrace and
contempt until the American nation
began to build up its navy
Discussing the question of emigra
tion the president declared the Amer
ican people have a right to say who
shall come and dwell among them
Cruise of Fleet Object Lesson.
1t Is our duty" he declared ito ex
ercise that right in a way calculated
to provide the least friction. If we
choose to say who shall come, how
ever, we must be in trim to uphold
that right in case anybody challenges
it,
President Roosevelt declared thai
the cruise of the battleship fleet
around South America was the mos
instructive object lesson ever Offered
\ of the reality Of the Monroe doctrine