The Washington herald., 1908-04-12
AIabamian Speaks of Need
for Big Navy.
BURTON CRIES OUT FOR PEACE
big Fighting Ships and the Gentle
Dove Figure in Debate on Naval
Measure-HOhson Wins friends in
Mastery OratiOn-LiIIey Talks on
Navy Yards-GeneraI Debate Ends.

House yesterday, when the last day for
general debate on the naval appropria-
ton bill came upon the boards and
tripped blithely by.
Whether great navies or small ones
are most conducive to this worlds peace;
whether or not the white race must. some
day, fight for supremacy with the yell
low: whether or not America must be
the buffer in such eonfict-ail these
mighty questions were thrashed out .at
length, while the galleries filed and
emptied and filled again.
Representative Richmond Pearson Hob
son. who can scent the yellow Peril
l0000 miles away. was the first speaker.
Not counting a small effort of few
days ago, this was Mr.. Hobson's first
speech in the House, and he made de-
cided hit
Mr.. Hobson was not talking for war,
he said. but for the maintenance of
universal peace.
''The only rational basis for a proper
national defense is for Us 10 proceed to
guarantee control OF the sea against any
nation of Asia in the Pacific" declared
Capt. Hobson, "and against any nation
OF Europe in the Atlantic seth at the
same time; and here proclaim, whether
We realize this policy or not as inevitable
for our national defense. or whether we
shall have to learn our lesson in the
school of suffering. amidst humiliation
and defeat-We viii yet learn the lesson
that for the elemental purpose OF self
preservation, the very first duty that we
~ ~.
law Of nature, is that America must be
supreme on the ocean,
In Line with Movement.
1t was in line with the movement toward
this supremacy that Hobson asked for
four new battle ships. The very minimum
demanded by a reasonable programme. in
view OF the battle ships that other ma
tions are building ne said, would be
provision for six enormous battle ships a
year for several years for the Atlantic
Ocean and four for the Pacific Ocean.
He showed that on the Atlantic Ocean,
including The navigable rivers and the
Great Lakes and the West India posses
sions. there were $1,000 miles OF water
line exposed to naval attack. TO this the
Monroe doctrine had added 1900 miles.
making in all $4,000 miles. as compared
with 400 miles on the same ocean for
which the three principal maritime ma
tions Of Europe were responsible.
"As America had built her cities on
her waterways and on the ocean as no
other country had done. so would she
suffer from a naval attack" he de-
ciared. "On the Atlantic, including the
countries that border upon waterways.
We have I5.S00O00 population. and SIT 6o0.-
100000 of property values, practically
within gunsh0t OF the water.
More American citizens are thus ex-
posed than there are citizens similarly
exposed IN all Europe combined. and more
American property exposed than there is
other property exposed in all the rest
Of the world combined"
With three times the amount Of coast
line" he declared. we spread over the
whole oCean. while the whole japanese
coast line is concentrated there at home,
permitting Of a perfect defense. We have
so neglected the establishment of naval
bases that our outlying possessions, In
stead of being a source of strength. are
a source Of great weakness, and II is
a question whether Il would prove pos
sible TO maintain a great fleet efficiently
in the Pacific Ocean. although the
necessity for doing so is now unques-
toned"
Mr. Burton Dissents.
Representative Burton. Of Ohio. followed
Capt. Hobson with words of dissent and
rebuke. He did not anticipate a pre-
cipitation Of the conflict before the con-
sideration Of the pending bill had been
concluded, and he did not believe that
the people would accept as an excuse for
a big navy the specious pretense that it
was Uncle Sans duty to maintain the
peace of the world.
He stood for the policy of President
Roosevelt's message Of 1906. one battle
ship a year. The advocates OF peace were
almost as noisy as those of a greater
navy had been in applauding Mr.. Hob
sons remarks.
Other speeches were made by Repre-
santatives Gregg. of Texas. and W. w.
Kitchin, OF North Carolina, in favor of
the bill as 1t stands: Representative
O'COnneIl. of Massachusetts,. IN favor of
four battle ships; Representative Lilley,
of Connecticut. demanding the abolition
of six navy yards and stations as use
less and an extravaganza. Representative
Gill, of Maryland. denoncing the Presi-
dent for his treatment OF Admiral Brown
son; Representative Dawson. of Iowa.
criticising the bureau system in the Navy
Department; Representative Loud. of
Michigan, who sang the gloTies Of naval
victories; Representative Tirren, OF Mas
sachusetts, defending the paper and v BOD
pulp tariff; Representative Smith, Of
Texas, on railroad and trust regulation;
Representative Rainey, Of Illinois. who
read a letter from the chairman of the
Afro-American League Of Ohio, declaring
that the negro voters OF that State would
not support Secretary Taft. and Represen-
tatiye Ferris. of Oklahoma. in favor of the |
bin to prohibit dealings in margin in |
farm products; Representative Ansberry. |
OF Ohio. urging the passage of the Bill |
giving all soldiers widows pension of |
Sl2 month.
General debate on the bill finished at
o'clock. and on Monday 1t will be taken
up under the fiVe-minute rule.
THUGs AWF rRnWn ANN pop |