Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-25
MAKING LAST STAND
FOR FOUR BIG SHIPS
Senators Who Believed In Greater
Navy Make Speeches Supporting
Program Of lhe President.
BEVERIDGE HINTS Ar GRAVE CRISIS
Says When the President Asked for
Fout BattIeshipp on His Solemn
responsibility" Hc Mean, Tha, They
Were Absolutely Needed = Hale
Fighting the Program.
ny Assoeiated preas)

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. April 81 -
The debate on the proposition OF SEN
ator Piles. OF Washington. To Increase
In the naval appropriation bill from
two to four. was today opened by SEN
ator Hale. who submitted a statement
of the naval estimate already pro-
vitled for. which he said would permit
a fleet us large as that now making
ITS way up the Pacific coast and leave
Il larger fleet for the Atlantic coast
There has been authorized. he said,
including the authorizations OF the
pending bill 81 ba,tlcships ana
n great many cruisers. many OF them
rs large ms battlcships.
I'VE are not compelled to build an.
other great fleet" said Mr.. Hale. in
order TO have protection mother on
The Pacific or the Atlantic"
Senator Bacon asked Senator Hale
II he had any positive knowledge that
the fleet now IN the Pacific was 10 he
sent around the world. and Mr.. Hale
replied that he had no direct and pos.
tive information. but from the legis-
lation that had been recommended he
was sure tie fleet was preparing TO
encirce the globe.
Mr.. Hale continued TO say that
legislation had bee recommended 'as
suitable and essestial 10 maintain our
rank and dignity In view of the fact
that the ileet is TO visit Aslatlc ports.
perhaps Africa, the Mediterranean
and European ports"
"a do not" said Mr.. Hale, "see all
the advantages OF the cruise seen by
the secretary of the ncvy and the
President. but have never taken the
view that sending the fleet around
the world is unspoken the world. and
bid 1t Godspeed. hoping that we
shall get out of the experiment with
out any complications. do not fear
danger, as | do not think the people
in any part of the world where this
fleet will so will be found hostile to
us and do not fear the remotest pos
sibilly or probability of war between
any country and the United States.
For this reason am able to pos
sess my soul in peace about The mis-.
sion of the fleet and free my thoughts
by day and my dreams by night from
approximations in that regard"
Presidents Right Questioned.
The question of the Presidents au-
thoriiy 10 send the fleet abroad pre-
cipitated n debate In which Senators
Culberson, Bacon, Raynor and Hale
took part Mr.. Bacon suggesting that
when II came TO sending such fleet
abroad the President was going very
FAR In excess of his power under
the constitution.
He agreed with Mr.. Rnynor and Mr..
Hale that in the absence of law enact
ell by Congress the President was not
exceeding his authority.
Mr.. Lodge secuted the idea that the
president had exceeded his authoriety
by sending the fleet on its mission.
That was what always had been dono
by President. he said the only diff
ference in this case being that the
fleet was large one. He did not
believe in having any committee i'll
Congress directing the movement of
the Ships of the navy.
IAN earnest appeal was made by
Senator Piles, of Washington, in ia
vor of authorization for four battle
ships. This was n measure of peace
and not of war. he declared. lie
came from the section of the country
that must be the storm center OF any
conflict in the Pacific ocean. The
| people of the Pacific were in favor OF
four battleships, He sent to the Vice
, Presidents desk statement OF a
vote of 1862 editors attending meet
ing in New York which. ne said show
ed that 126 were in favor of four hat
tleships and the Presidents policy
for naval expansion.
Pleads for Pacific Coast.
. While he had never been one o
!, those who feared war, 1t could not bt
/ denied, he said, that there WAS on thu
Pacific cOast n neculiar condition nnf