The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-23
|. EXPORT. R. l., July 22.-Plead-
ing for popular support OF a
''first-class fighting navy" a
navy capable OF seeking out

the enemy and "hammering
him into the quits" President Roose-
Welt was the central figure here to-day
In the most notable conference Of
American naval officers ever called to.
gether to consult and discuss. in a
broad general way. the future. OF
Ulited States battleships. The Presi-
dent spoke publicly for more than
half an hour. and then the conference
went into executive session for one
hour. During this session. the Presi-
dent took leading part In the dis
cussion. He argued as layman. he
explained and did not attempt to give
advice to professional men. He said
In part:
II could not speak to you techni-
cally. can speak to my fellow-coun-
trymen. who are deeply interested In
the American navy. but who some-
times tend to be misled as to the kind OF
navy we should have and as to what
the navy can and ought to do.
Hit First and Hard
i3 For instance. there are always Ger.
tain numbers OF well-neaning, amtable
individuals. coupled with others not
quite SO we'll meaning. who advocate
merely a coast defense navy. Such
advocacy illustrates habit Of mind
as old as human nature itself-the
desire at the same time to do some
thing. and not to do 1t.
"No fight was ever won yet except
By hitting, and the one unforg1ynble
offense in any man Ii to hit koft. That
applies to the Individual and it ap-
plies to the nation and those who adj
yocate q coast defense navy are ad-
vocating that we shall adopt as a ma
t1onal principle the principle OF hitting
soft. hope with all my heart that
never Will this nation OF ours hit unlcss
1t cannot possibly be helped. But when
this nation docs have to go to war.
such war will only be excusablcA II the
nation intends to hammer it's opponent
until that opponent quits fighting,
For the protection OF our coast we
need Qualifications not merely to pro-
tect the salient points of our possess
sions, but so that the navy can be foot
loose. year ago, at the time 1t was
announced that the fleet was to 20
abroad, there was certain number Of
newspapers, especially in my own citv
OF New York. that raised a cl4moroua
protest against 1t. It took atone .ime
the form OF a mistaken prophecy ia
the effect that the fleet would not ha
alAIoRed to go around the world, and
one Of the. reasons alleged was tbat.
TO let It go around the world would
leave New York defenseless In the
event Of war. The theory eyidentlv
was that the fleet. or a portion.
OF It would be used especiallv Ia
protect New York and other cities IN
the event OF war. If war comes 4 !
any time In the future, the admins
tratton under which it comes wilis,n-
deed be guilty OF folly II they use the
fleet to protect any port. Let the port.
be protected by the fortlfications tho
fleet must be foot loose to search ont
and q md destroy the cnemy's fleet
# None II Not Fir.t-Clnxs.
I'VE have taken the Philippines, but
II we ha5 not taken them not par-5
ticle of difference would be made rs
regards the needs of our naval policies.
There has been division among this
people as to taking the philippines
There has been no division OH the Mon
roe eadoctrine, no division M building,
policing and defending
the Panama Canal, no division about
Hawaii and Porto Rico, no division
about keeping Alaska no division
about asserting our superior right to
defend and protect Cuba. Not one Of
the courses of action thus outlined
canysbe followed out excepting with a.
first-class navy. The Monroe doctrine
was In danger OF falling not merely
into disuse, but into contempt, until
We began to build up our navy. Tho
Monroe doctrine. unbacked by a navy,
Is an empty bOnSt Isl 5l $5i
IF we have coast llnfense navy
cnly,s we had better at once turn over
the Panama Canul to some stronger
and brayer ma tion. and give up Hawaii,
Torto Rico n.,.I Alaska, ana say that
we had not moro interest in Cuba than
the small lest utsido power.
ssNye9 do mot want nny navy at all
ifsit II not a first-clnss one, and such
a. navy will be neceasa ry for nv Just
80 long a. we demand the right Y to
administcrs our national affairs nv e
think hest. IT In very pVsAt ble that
we shall have to exercise a GontinM II
greater auperviston, continuall,;
grentcr exercise ~ the right Of rc-S
jcction among imnli igrnn Mt thai come
Continue q on Fourth PaEe,l s8s s8ss