The Washington herald., 1908-04-11
TAKE UP NAVAL BILL
House Listens to Speeches on
Battle Ship Programme.
PRAISE Fur PRESENT NAVY
Mingled Sentiment For and Against
Increase in Number of Big War
Ships Displayed - Mr.. Padgett
Speaks for Peace DePrecases
Scramble 20 Build Battle ships.

Scramble 90 Build battie SHIPS
BY virtue OF the special rule, Speaker
Cannon declared the House to be IN Com
mittes Of the Whole TO consider the naval
appropriation bill Immediately upon reas-
sembling yesterday morning.
Mr.. Mann, OF Illinois, was called 10 the
chair.
Chairman Foss. Of the Naval Commit
tee, briefly explained the bill For
the first time in many years. the estab-
lished force Of the navy was withia 6ot
men OF the total authorized force. Last
year 40,eo0 applications were made to en-
list, but only IS,0o0 were accepted. The
| character of the enlisted men, Mr.. Foss
said, was never better than now, and in
intelligence, patriotism, and ability they
were never surpassed. The plan OF Ameri-
canizing the navy had proceeded so far
that 9Iis per cent were natives of this
country. (Applause.)
The programme OF the naval construe-
ton laid down in the bill, Mr.. Foss said,
included two battle ships. ten torpedo
/ boat destroyers. and eight submarine tor
pedo boats, which would cost about thirty
millions of dollars, slightly less than half
the sum recommended by the Secretary OF
the Navy.
Mr.. Foss warmly defended the policy OF
construction pursued by the department,
asserting upon the authority of Admiral
Converse. whom he regarded as the best
equipped all around officer IN the navy,
and Of Admiral Capps, who had not been
surpassed as a constructor. that the
| United States had never built a ship in
ferieF to that Of any navy. built at the
same time Nothing but numbers was lack
ing TO make the American navy the best
in the world
should Go on Cruises,
It was no use, Mr. Foss continued, 10
build a navy II it were not to ne sent on
cruises. Each ship of Admiral Evans
feet Mr., Foss said. had been found to be
in better condition after arrival at Mag
dalena Bay than when it started from
Hampton Roads.
For the minority OF the committee. Rep
resentatiye Padgett, of Tennessee, said he
spoke not as a member Of the minority,
not as a Democrat not as a Republican.
but as an American citizen. He did not
believe there was any more politics on a
battle ship than there was. in a sweet
potato. He spoke further as a friend OF
the navy. lie illustrated tine quality OF
that friendship by quoting Gen. Seotts
reply TO an imputati0n upon his Whiggery
I'm a Whig, al right, but not
damned-fool Whig"
The committee had not been influenced.
Mr.. Padgett said. by the clamor for ship
building 70 provide employment for idle
men. That was a step further toward
absolute pateFnalism than he was willing
TO go.
Aside from the two ships authorized
IN the bill. Secretary Mccall had told
the committee that the navy was 22000
short Of enough men 10 provide crews,
and to meet this shortage the bill an-
thorized the enlistment of 5000 men. IN
view Of this, asked Mr.. Padgett applaud
ed on both sides of the chamber Whats
the use OF this wild scramble to build
battle ships?"
Representative BarthoIdt OF Missouri,
chairman of the American section Of the
international Parliamentary Union. hav-
ing for It's object the furtherance OF treat
les Of arbitration among the nations, told
why he could not vote for more than one
battle ship
FavrOt Pleads for Big Navy.
Representative Favrot Of Louisiana.
made a plea for four hattie ships in his
maiden speech on the floor.
II believe In economy as much as anv
one" said he. but not in economy on
the nations defenses or at the expense
Of the nations safety or honor. I believe
that the question Of expense cannot be
considered for a moment
I'VE have assumed certain obligations
which we cannot repudiate. The most
sacred OF these is the enforcement of the
Monroe doctrine. This government can
not permit with safety or with honor, or
without humiliation, a violation of the
Monroe doctrine. Unless we are prepared
70 make the Monroe doctrine effective. II
becomes mere bombast
I'VE have assumed obligations in the
Pacifc-unwisely, I believe-snd no mat
ter what disposition we may make of
those islands, as long as we hold them
we must protect them-cannot, without
national humiliation and disgrace, permit
them to be taken from US.
over and above ALL Mr.. Favrot con-
cluded, 'is that inevitable conflict between
the white and yellow races, and upon Us
viii devolve the duty OF maintaining SUI
premacy Of the white race In the Pacific.
We must be prepared 10 perform that
duty. That is our own burden, and we
must shoulder It.
Support for HObson.
Support of Representative Hobson's
proposition OF four ships was also an
nounced by Representative McKinlay. of
California. He said the only thing that
would induce American merchants to
seek a development Of the trade with the
Orient would be the display of sufficient
force by the United States not to invite
war. but to ward off war
Representative KnoWland, Secretary Net
calfs successor in the House, defended the
battle-ship cruise to the Pacific assert
ing that it demonstrated the foresight and
patriotism of President Roosevelt.
HARDWICK REPR0VED.
Caayrw~. gura IL Il uoxso- -