The Washington herald., 1908-04-25


Two battle ships. or four-that was the
question which occupied the attention Of
the Senate during nearly four hours yes
terday and when adjournment was taken
at 5;55 p. m. ii remained undecided.
The debate was one-sided, the advo-
Gates Of the larger number Of ships doing
pretty nearly all the talking. as. in the
opinion of Senator Hale. chairman of the
Committee on Naval Affairs. the ma
jority OF Senators need no persuasion
against casting their votes for four
Dreadnoughts
Senator Piles. author OF the amendment
to the naval appropriation bill which
proposes to double the building pro-
gramme. opened the debate with a strong
statement Of the question from the view
point of the Pacific Coast. Senator Smith,
Of Michigan. indicated his adherence 10
the four-ships plan. and Senator Nc
Creary. Of Kentucky, advocated big
navy. declaring that this had always been
his attitude.
Senator Beveridge, Of Indiana, closed
the argument for the increase in an able
and Illuminating speech. which con-
sumed nearly three hours of the Senate's
time. He was given close attention, how
ever, and his address was frequently
broken into by questions from Senator
Hale and others, which led 10 more or
less extended debate.
When Mr.. Beveridge concluded. Sena-
tor Hale decided to put the vote of until
to-day, owing 10 the lateness OF the
hour.
Do Not Expect TO Wis.
Senators who advocate the building Of
four ships in this years programme did
not feel encouraged last night. despite
their field day IN the chamber. They ex-
pressed the belief that Senator Beyer-
idge's speech had strengthened their po-
sition but had no hesitancy in adding
that they expected 10 be outvoted to-day.
The debate on the battle ship section
was preceded by a statement made by
Senator Hale. which precipitated a some
what purposeiess and attenuated discus
sion of the Presidents action in sending
Admiral Evans great fleet around the
NlAA lAls anu MS aLAlAUAAA1 U44AAEA TIC I'm
stitution for doing so.
Mr.. Hale presented figures on the COM
parative strength OF the worlds navies.
showing that tho United States stood
second on the list. Mr. Hale contended
that they showed that the United States
could, when the ships now building are
added to those now ahoet, assemble
three fleets as large as that which Ad
America
Senator Bacon, of Georgia asked Mr..
Hale # he had been officially advised Of
the plan 10 send the feet around the
world, and the Senator from Maine re-
Piled that he had every reason to believe
that this would be done.
Questions Presidents Right.
Mr.. Bacon then raised the question as
TO Mr.. Rooseyelt's authority TO send the
fleet on this spectacular voyage" 10 for
eign waters without consulting Con-
gress.
Senator Lodge reminded Mr.. Bacon
that the President. as Commander-in-
chief. had full authority over the disposi-
tion OF both land and naval forces. SEN
ator Rayner. OF Maryland, declared that
only by passing a law subject 10 consti-
tutional restriction could Congress have
any hand in the matter.
Senator Piles began his speech advocat-
ing four battle ships by stating that of
the thirty-one battle ships which Senator
Hale had said we possessed, eleven were
obsolete. He read from the Presidents
special message asking authority to build
four big ships, and declared that ''the
time is now oppOTtUne 10 give the AmerI-
can people greater protection than they
now pc@sess."
Il come from a section that must be
the storm center If we are TO have
war" continued the Senator from Wash
ington. "The people Of the Pacific Coast
are in favor Of four battle ships. They
have built up a wonderful prosperity on
that Coast. and they and their property
are entitled to be adequately defended
Paints japanese Danger.
7 do not fear war with Japan; but a
peculiar condition exists on the Pacific
Coast. and the time is coming when that
viii confront the country. The
growth and wealth Of that country has
made it an attractive field for ell the
races Of Asia. Trained in a different
economic school from that in which the
American people have been bred, the
japanese laborer can earn more in one
day on the Pacific Coast of the United
States than ne can command in week
and a half at home. He can underworld
and underlive the American workman.
is innate in the human
breast. and when the American people
see this influx of Asiatic labor, 1t is but
natural that they should appeal for the
exclusion Of that which MANAGES their |
standing. If the appeal is not
needed, who can tell when violence will
be resorted to by the American laborer |
to protect himself?
No man can tell when an uprising |
will occur that will force japan TO wage
IN aggressive war against this country"
The fortifieations Of the Pacific Coast, |
Mr.. Piles maintained, would not deter
an enemy from across the sea, nor would |
they hold him in check until a fleet
could be sent from the Atlantic coast
10 the Pacific. The people of the Pa
,ihc Coast, he said, demand a fleet of
their own. Two fleets, one in the At
antic and one in the Pacifc-alone
would assure protection TO this coun-
-ry from foreign aggression.
For Peace, Not War.
This, he said, would be a measure for |
peace, for no nation in the world would
wage war against this country" If two
such fleets guarded its coasts.
Mr. Hale drew from Mr.. Piles the ad-
mission that the ships which are to be
authorized in the pending bill could not
be ready in time for war that might come
n the next few years, and Senator
Aldrich loosely asked If there were any
,irtue inherent in the number four, since
[ was so strenuously contended for. Mr..
Piles answered that the President and
he Secretary Of the Navy ought to know
pest, and they recommend four ships.
Mr.. Hale contended that ncne Of our
)aJtle ships are obsolete, and that three
mall ones would put a Dreadnought out