Evening star., 1909-04-18
ECONOMY IN BIC NAVY
insurance Against Expense of
War, Says Meyer.
STATES FAR BEHIND
Fifty Millions for Battleships to;
Avert Half-Billion Conflict.
GREAT FLEET ON EACH OCEAN
Merchant Ships Factor for, World
Amity-Objects to "Peace at
Any Price" Sentiment.

BOSTON, April IA great navy is
the best insurance against the horrors and
expenses of war that the United States
can purchase. It will stand for peace.
while at the same time 1t will be a mighty
bulwark against any encroachment upon
the dignity of this government.
England once called her navy wooden
parts OF STEEL"
Such was the sentiment expressed by
Secretary Meyer in a speech tonight at
the dinner of the Boston Real Estate Ex-
change.
Secretary Meyer declared that the Span
ish war cost more than half q billion dol
lars, while eight battleships of the Ore
gon type, which. he implied. might have
averted the war. would have cost less
than fifty millions of dollars.
Era Of Peace.
To-day Is the era of peace" said Mr..
Meyer. Peace societies, International
tribunals and the numerous conferences
that have been held during the past few
years all emphasize this fact and 1 am
one of those who fully appreciate the
value of these organizations and assem-
blies.''
Yet, he declared, 1t was important
that the people Of the United States
should not forget that while such peace
societies were power. their chief value
was as formative influence. to stimulate
sentiment and crystalline public opinion
against the horrors of war.
1.-The really effective and honorable
method of avoiding war; he contended,
"is to be prepared for war by the pos
session of an efficient. up-to-date and
thoroughly equipped fleet of battleships,
both on the Atlantic and the Pacific
oceans.
Great Fleet Of Both Coasts.
'Our officers and men demonstrated
their efficiency, he stated, land the bat
tleships their seaworthiness when they
made the circle of the globe without an
accident and on q schedule of time which
has undoubtedly excited the envy of every
general manager of our transcontinental
railroads.
"That fleet, which was worked so well
as a unit. should not be divided between
the Atlantic and the Pacific, but our ma
val armament should be so provided for
that eventually we shall have force of
battleships in. each ocean equivalent to
that which we now have in the Atlantic.
Civilization has harneSsed the fighting
spirit that Is Unborn in man and has
turned it toward the development Of SCI
ence, making 1t the great factor in the eX-
traordinary human progress and develop
ment of wealth in the past twenty years:
| the fact that it has been diverted into
other channels should not be permitted to
Danish patriotic sentiments or to welcome
| the thought of peace at any price.
"In this country we are brought up with
| respect for the majesty of the law, and
1t is in accordance with what may call
our national conscience to deal justly
with other powers. But 1t is essential
that we should be in position to demand
justice for ourselves.
Money Wasted on Last War.
1.-THE cause Of peace would have been
advanced eleven years ago II this nation
had possessed eight additional battleships
of the Oregon or Iowa class, at cost
then of under fifty millions of dollars.
The amount appropriated by Congress at
the beginning Of the war for national de-
fense was fifty millions. This was instant
ly expended in the purchase of yachts.
coasters, transatlantic steamers, reserve
ammunition, etc.
1.-THE total expenditures due to the war
with Spain amounted to $J07, ,O1O.395. 1S.
This sum was expended as follows:
Ware Department. $206. .962. 900. 90
Philippines tpurchase, 20, ,0)0, OGO. %
philippines. 1S0S to 1902. l6o. .s5s. .512.s2
Total. $5O7, ,9l0, ,995. Is
"One must also take into account
the accompanying death roll and sick list.
In addition we have paid in pensions, on
account Of the Spanish war, about So
600, ,OOO to date, and heaven only knows
q Au The n.
tai paid for pensions to date as result
Of the civil war is over 50, SOC. 100000.
"The navy Of the United States should
be regarded as an insurance against war
cident to war But in order to serve as
an insurance it must be strong and
effective navy. 1t is the cheapest and
best insurance in which our nation can
invest
United States Far Behind.
"Great Britain whose total value is
about $8OOOO.0OO.OOO. expends annually
per cent Of this valuation; France. with.
valuation of nearly $5O,OOOOO0,-
900, expends 1 $40 per cent; While
the United States, with tote
wealth of little more than $1OO,0OO,OO
900, expends but one-tenth OF l per
cent annually for naval purposes, an ex-
penditure vastly less than that Of any
OIner ndVdl power III Tie WUEiu, GohiPdA w
with our resources
On the subject OF universal peace, MIR.
Meyer said that in order to bring 1t about
there first must be good understanding
required International acquaintanceship
and confidence.
You, as business men, fully appreciate
the necessity of confidence in business
relationships and YOU also know that
for continuous business relationships the
confidence must be mutually satisfactory.
So with nations And, in time as science
develops the modes of transportation and
brings the different nations into closer
touch, there will come better appre-
citation, and finally, that common under
standing necessary for mutually satisfac-
tory International relationships and last
1t was certain, he declared that "a
large navy with It's ships touching ut
various ports in the world, as di0 the
battieship feet. would add enormously in
the direction OF that better understanding.
influence on Government.
Organizations such as YOU have here
tonight. In cooperation with other Or
ganizations OF a like character. can have
a tremendous influence on the future gov
ernment of this city.
President Eliot, in his Washington
speech on the Both of March, said that
the rapid and successful growth of Har-
ward University during the past forty
years had been due to the work of groups.
He added, also. that he had been a mem
ber of each group and was able to carry
the wisdom OF one group to another, but
he desired TO testify that 1t had been the
work of groups OF men from frst to
last. and ventured to add that II" this
way improvements and cnlarxements OF
governmental work could be wrought out
in, In