Albuquerque citizen., 1908-04-06
Urges Congress to Buy Bat.
tleShipS and Guns and
Make Supremacy
Beyond Question.
JAPANESE MENACE
ALL WHITE NATIONS
Declares Big Navy and Big Army,
Both Well Equipped. Is Only Arg
ument for International Peace
We Must Keep White Race
Supreme Over Yellow.

Washinsto April 6.-Ponting out
what he declared to be the precari-
of the United states both in the At
lantic and the Pacific oceans. Mr..
Hobson. of Alabama. in the House
of Representatives. today made an
earnest plea for two battleships Of
25,OOO tons displacement in addition
to the two authorized by the naval
appropriation bill.
He said that a conservative esti-
mate would indicate that for the
minimum basis of security and safe
ty in the Pacific ocean the United
states should lay down at least four
big ships a year Tor many years to
come, until Japan comedies to us
what is inevita ble-the American
control Of the sea around which our
possessions are scattered As a
minimum for the Atlantic ocean the
government should lay down six bat
tleships "a year. he said. Heretofore
said Mr.. Hobson, the weakness of
America in the matter of national
defense had not been fatal to its
growth and development because the
oceans constituted a great barrier be-
tween America and the armies of the
world
"Now, however" said he "the
oceans have been bridged and the
armies of the world have been
brought to our doors. and along with
the armies Of the older nations of
Europe have come the armies of the
ancient nations of Asia"
He said that where America for
merly lived more or less in isolation,
she is now exciting the jealousy of
other great nations in threatening
their supremacy in commerce, indus
try and finance. In addition. he de-
clared that recent events have
thrown us into the political vortex OF
the world. and that the dangers OF
| being unprepared are becoming
greater and greater with each sue
ceediug year.
Our Army Too Small.
After calling attention to Ameri.
| cas- lack of merchant marine
which could be used as auXiliaries in
time of war, and of transports neces-
sary for properly conducting war op'
| erations Mr.. Hobson said
1--WE have almost no standing army
and could not prevent the seizure by
a foreign power of harbor on oul
| shores or near our shores, to be usec
as a naval base: whereas it would be
| practically impossible for America tc
secure naval base for operations il
/ European waters Forts, mines, tor
pedoes, torpedo boats and submarines
| are valuable accessories. but sucf
| defenses have never stopped a de
| termined commander OF great
| fleet. They did not stop Nelson a
| Copenhagen, nor Farragut al Mobile
! Bay. nor Dewey at Manila. Such de
fenses never determine the issues o
a war, and have no weight In deter
ring an enemy from seeking war
The forts that We have are woefulh
unnamed. whereas the troops need
ed for other landward defense coul,
not be modified within the time ne
! cessary."
Danger From Japan.
The possibility of a conflict witt
Japan was discussed at length b!
Mr.. Hobsou He said il was but pre-
fectly natural for Japan to aspire Il
dominate the commerce Of China
the commerce Of Asia and of the Pa
cinc ocean. And he said it was pre-
fectIy natural for Japan to seek t.
control the policies OF China and t,
attain supremacy In the Pacific oceu
and to lead the yellow race toward ;
recognized supremacy in the world
With regard to the great nation
Of the white race. Mr.. HObsun said
lit is, Of course. clear to the Japan
esc statesmen that America is tn
one great nation standing athwart o
the realization of these ambitions /
is true that America only asks "a fai
chance and no favor-simply tn
opeu-do0r policy in China-but thi
policy goes counter To- japanese am
bitiOns."
The United States. said Mr Hob
son, must accept Japan'S proteSta
tionS Of friendship. and we sh1ul
most cordially reciprocate friendl,
feelings and should realize that /
any breach should come between tn
two countries il would be our fault
on account Of being so defenseles,
ana not the fault of Japan.
Pursuing his analysis of the con
Gitions In the Pacific Mr. Hobson de
clared that 1--WE cannot ignore tn
fact that Japan has undertaken stu