Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-27
TWO OR FOUR SHIPS
Debating Piles Amendment to
the Naval Bill.
DISCUSSION IN SENATE
Carter Criticises Utterances Of
Beverage.
LATTER REPLIES TO ATTACK
Probability Of Hostilities With
Japan Ridiculed-Paciac
Coast Needs.
LATTER REPLIES TO ATTACK

coast Nee06.
The improbability Of war with Japan.
or with any other nation. and further
adverse criticism of the so-called war
like" speeches of Senators Beveridge
and Piles last week. largely made UP
the debate in the Senate today on the
Piles amendment to the naval appro-
priation bill to provide for two instead
Of four new battleships of the Dread
nought type. The same position On
these points was taken by both the OPP
ponents and advocates Of the amend
ment. Late in the afternoon Senator
Beveridge began reply to the nunier-
Gus criticisms heaped upon him. BY
order Of the Senate. a vote on TO. bill
and all pending amendments will be
taken before adjournment today.
Senator Stone Of Missouri opened the
debate on the naval bill In the Senate at
II o'clock this morning with speech
against Senator Piles four battleships
amendment. He referred to suggestions
by Senators Beverage and Piles OF war
with Japan rs ''unwise on the floor OF
the Senate. iil-considered. wanton and
wicked" and declared against navy that
Is for the purpose Of dancing around the
world with defiance on the flag poles. and
making q gaudy and pretentious display"
The only war cloud that overhangs this
country. he asserted, Is 1.-The little speck
on our southern horizon. like the black
hand Of . spoiled child" Nobody. he
held, would ever expect that the United
States would have to use q great navy to
settle this trouble with Venezuela.
''Of course. We can have a war with
Japan II we want It," he continued, but
every one in America knows we do not
Mr.. Stone said he favored an adequate
but not necessarily q powerful navy. and
that great interior improvements are
much more needed at this time than bat
tleships. He asserted no natien will wage
1t maintains its present position as the
second naval power.
Mr.. Newlands interrupted to suggest
that the United States had taken more
adopting ooastwise laws and otherwise
endeavorinS to keep the japanese out Of
the trade Of those islands than Japan
has done In Manchur1a to keep the United
States out
Favors Four Battleships.
Senator Sutherland of Utah followed
with an announcement that he intended
to vote for the four battleships. mot be-
cause war Is certain or probable, but
because 1t La possible. and just AZ l would
take out a fire insurance policy on my
home"
He declared that the big stick policy
OF the Prssident was one Of the wisest
governmental policies. not for aggression.
but for protection. The navy. he said.
10 tho big stick Of the nation.
I'VE build Q big ana strong navy" he
continued, for purposes OF defense, not
to wage war. but to preserve peace. The
people Of this country. who are peace
portunity to be peace-compeliing people
as Well.''
The objection Of Senator Beveridge to
Senator Hales statement that the Senate
proposition and need not discuss It was
referred to by Senator Carter, who next
took the floor. This remark by Senator
Hale. he said was eminently proper.
Some folks deliberate without speak
some both deliberate and speak," said Mr..
Carter. land the Senate 10 like folks"
How Wars Come.
Ie said he had lost faith In the judg-
ment Of Senator Beverage as a historian.
No wars. he went on. have ever come
SUoUSnlys tnS war Win SPAN having QScu
brought about when this country DELHI
erately ordered the minister from Spain
from the country.
And suppose II We had had two more
battleships. we would have dumped him
into the Potomac" he asserted
Senator Beveridse interrupted to say
that In each case cited py him last
week he had merely made the point that
wise statesmen up until the last moment
had declared that war was impossible.
Il will not try to put any words in the
senator's mouth" declared Mr.. Carter,
"because that 10 Unnecessary
This sally caused general laughter
throughout the chamber. A few moments
later Mr.. Carter made the assertion that
the Senate might possibly have voted
for four battleships before the '1urid and
warlike" speech of the senator from
Indiana. but that he could not see how
any senator could vote for them In view
of this speech.
The debate grew more lively when Sem
ator Aldrich suggested that 1t was not
the President.e message asking for four
battleships which was Objectionable but
the "unauthorised Interpretation Of It,"
Mr.. Carter referred to Mr.. Beveridge's
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