Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-15
ASKS FOR
BIG NAVY
ROOSEVELT URGES NEED OF
BATTLESHIPS
"BE READY FOR WAR If YOU
SEEK PEACE"
Communication from the White House
Requests Congress to Increase
Appropriation for
Vessels
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
WASHINGTON April 14.-The mes
sage of the president in support of MS
plan for an appropriation for four ne"
hattleships, concerning which there has
been so much speculation, was received
today by both houses of congress
There was considerable delay In the
reading of the message In both the SEN
ate and house; in the senate because
Senator Foraker was engaged In max
ing his Brownsville speech when the
document was received. and In the
house because that body was in COM
mittee of the whole on the naval ap-
preparation bill.
That the message was designed to IN
fuence the house to increase the num-
ber of battleships provided for In the
naval bill from two to four was gener
ally understood, and the dispatch Of
the message was intended to be SO
timed as to reach the house just oetore
taking up that provision.
The debate on the naval appropria-
ton bill was on when the message ar
rived, and 1t quickly became nolsed
about that the anticipated docuiiiehe
had reached the house. All sorts of
questions were asked of the floor lead
ers as to when the reading of the mes
sage would begin, but Typographical
error In the print of the message was
seized upon by those opposed TO lne
four ttleship plan to delay the read
ing I'm the hope that the provision relat-
ing TO the battleships would be first
reached, and thereby discount any ef-
feet the message might have in bring
inS members over to the PRESIDENT
view.
Delay In Reading
1T looked at one time as If it might
be necessary to return the message TO
the president, that he might make tne
necessary correction, and when this
was avoided further delay was caused
by the necessity Of a change when
would transform the committee of the
whole into the house proper, ana then
return to the committees method OF
proceeding. Consequently the message
was not laid before the house until just
before tn close of the days work.
IT was enthusiastically received by
the advocates of a larger navy. The
"antis" later gave vent to their feellng
bv authorizing a petition from num-
ber of citizens of New York city, whlch
wrs read at the instance of Mr. raw
ney, protesting against the extraVa- m va
gance of spending over $6O,OOV'oOO ior
four battleships."
The demonstration afforded fair OPP
nortunity to Judge the temper of the
house on the proposition. 1t was evil
dent the opponents of four battleshipS
were in the majority. although the vote
wi, be close. ,,, ,.
Hobson was prevented from reading
memorial from laboring men favoring
the building of more ships
The message was read IT. the senate
under dis ,vantages 1t was presented
Immediately after the conclusion OF
senator Forakers spec III and while
vice pres dent Fairbanks was trying to
restore order. There was loud mum
of voices. and the exodus of the throng
from the galleries added to the noise 10
such an extent that 1t was quite diff
cult to hear the reading of the message.
The secretary of the senate came 10
the rescue of the situation by skimmln8
through the document in snort oroer'
and a motion to adjourn ended the d.
lemma.
senators and representatives were
supplied with copy or the message
and nun READ II.
The message was a brief / Vigor-
Gus contention for the rapid develop
ment of the navy China was held up
as an exarcple of the peace at any
price, doctrine and Great Britain as
having tn naval policy to be emulated.
II was contended that the result of the
last Hague conference MADE IL PLAIN
that the nations would not for some
time, If ever, agree on plan OF hihita-
tion of nj val armament.
Disclaiming any intention on the part
of the United States ever to engage in
war of conquest, the president made
~ nlain that this country could Ill af-
{, ID to relax into a position where in
suit would have to be borne IN silence.
The message follows:
''To the senate and. house OF repre-
sentatiyes: Let me again urge upon
congress the need of providing for four
battleships of the best and most adj
vanced type at this session.
"Prior to the recent Hague confer
ence 1t had been my hope that an
agreement could be reached between
the different nations to limit the in
crease of naval armaments and espe-
ciallv to limit the size of warships.
Agreement Impossible
grinder these circumstances 1 felt
that the construction of one bat
tleship a year would keep our navy
IN to its then positive and relative
strength. But actual experience showed
not merely that it was impossible to
Obtain such an agreement for the limi-
tation of armaments among the various
nations but that there was no like
lihood whatever of obtaining it in the
future within any reasonable time.
"Coincidentally with this discovery
occurred a radical change III the
building of battleships among the great
nations-a change in which it was APP
parent modern battleships have been
or are being constructed Of size and
armament which doubles or'more prob
ably trebles their effectiveness. Every
other great naval nation has or is