The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-04-01

OF Education, Mr.. Walter Runcinian, In
speaking on the subject Of building
more and bigger battleships. expressed
his regret that the FIRST Dreadnaught
was ever built for he regards it as |.
challenge put forth to the enemies Of
England which they were bound to
accept. Mr.. Runcinian is correct. as
events bave shown. The challenge
was taken up by other powers and
hundreds of millions of dollars have
been spent to match or overmatch the
first great biander. as we may call It.
Where will 1t all end7" asks The
Brooklyn Eagle. Neither Of the great
building rivals can discern basis for
compromise by which construction
might be limited. Each. in effect.
haughtily proclaims that it's naval pol
icy is dependent upon its own needs
and not upon the program Of its neigh
bors. Yet each is watching the other
most intently and shaping its course
to discount such activity as may be
discovered. Each is confronted by the
prospect Of heavy deficit. yet the de-
mand for big ships is met with lavish
appropriations.
All, 1t may well be asked where 1t
will end. II some Of the great powers
of earth have not already bankrupted
themselves In this unreasonable COM
petition they are in a fair way to do
SO, our own among the number, If Con-
gress can be controlled and misled by
the constant clamor for more and big
ger vessels of war. There seems no
stopping place in sight. The lust has
taken possession of all the nations.
and each is ambitious to tower above
all the others. No one Is willing to
fall behind in the race for naval SUI
premacy. Added to ambition is con-
tinued sense of apprehension and want
of confidence. Each nation fears to
call halt lest the others get ahead
and leave her at their mercy. Ambi-
tion. pride. suspicion--all Join to keep
up the struggle for first place.
And what Is the use Of 1t all. after
the money is spent7 Ten years ago
only ten short years. the Oregon was
considered first- class battleship. fully
qualified for any service and any emer-
gency that was likely to arise. Today.
a F%ar hr% a aacada ba, nm asad tha Ora
gon is looked on as out-of-date and
almost worthless. Is It not a fair pre-
sumption that the Dreadnaughts now
being built will also be looked on as
obsolete in ten or twenty years and be
put aside to make way for something
more modern and more effective7 All
who know anything of naval affairs,
and who have at all kept up with the
advance and Improvement in naval con-
struction know that in hardly any
branch of human industry and effort
has there been such continued and
wonderful progress as in naval con-
struction. The battleships which ac-
complished such wonders in 1915
would now be looked on as little bet
ter than scows. yet they were consid.
cred great ships in their day.
Statesmen. pubiicists and humanita-
rians are all concerned regarding this
almost suicidal mania, but none can
find the remedy or fix stopping place
or place bounds or limits at which IL
shall stop. And yet It must be plain
that 1t cannot go on forever. There
must be limit in competition. for HUI
man power is not endless and human
means. financial and otherwise. are not
boundless. If all the great nations Of
earth would enter into an agreement
to discontinue naval competition, and
abide by it. there might be hope of an
end, but who will take the initiative?
Each Is afraid to let the others get
any advantage and IL one will not lead
the way another will not. How will it
all end?