The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-21
WE ARE GONEW|LD
ABSOLUTELY Wild
Have Lost Our Heads and May
Bankrupt the Ma
ton.
CLAY PAINTS THE PICTURE
Congressman Makes Ardent Plea
for Checking Of Warship
Building.
CLAY PAINTS THE PICTURE

| Washington, D. c.. May 20.--That
the United States as nation has gone
wild in the matter of armaments, and
especially in the construction of bat
| tleships. was asserted in practical con-
cord by Senator'S Hale, Clay and CAL
| linger in the Senate to-day. These
statements Were made in connection
with the consideration of the naval
appropriation bill. which occupied the
attention of the Senate throughout the
day. The bill carries s133 3OOo.O00 ana
Senator Hale predicted that within
five years the annual naval appropria-
tion would not be less than s175,000,000.
The opinion was expressed freely
that the promised reduction of expen-
ditures would not take place during
the present session of Congress. anu
Senator's Hale and Gallinger both
members of the Committee on Appro-
priations, united in the statement tina,
for the next fiscal year the expendt-
lures would exceed the revenues.
Another feature of the debate was
the citation of ex-President Roosevelt
as an advocate of reduced armanents.
1t was all brought about by an amend
ment introduced by Senator Burton
providing for one battleship of the
Dreadnousht type instead of two as
authorized by the bill as it passed the
House. Mr. Clay was the first to as
scrt that the country had gone Wild In
the matter of ornaments.
Have Lost Our Heads.
I'VE have lost our heads" he said
"and if we do not stop we will bank
rupt the nation"
Asserting that the appropriation for
the navy proposed for the present
year averages So per head for each
man. woman and child in the country,
he said:
"In the past twelve years Congress
has passed laws authorizing twenty
new battleships. We are now eXpend
ing almost Sl4o.o00.00D a year. as
against 02S.0O0,OoO twelve years ago
Apparently we have not the courage
to- stop. We are gone wild. absolutely
wild. In this day of high Christian
civilizations the nations arc exhaust
ing in these military expenditures the
resources that ought to so to feeding
the hungrey. We ought to stop and
think"
BY quoting Senator Hale as author
ity for the statement that each OF tho
proposed battleships would cost not
less than s16,OOOo0O, Mr.. Clay aronsed
general Interest Mr.. Gallingcr ad-
VanTcu llE ulcN W sSH'N ''i'' 4'''' ~N'''2
would not exceed slO0oo.oo0.
Mr Hale not only sustained Mr. Clay
but spoke Of the vessels as comnletelN
armored and equipped, and said the
total cost of putting one of those yes,
sells in the water probably would he
nearer s1s00O.OOo than sls,no0ooo, lie
declared that the fallihlitv of the
naval board was such that there couln
not he no guarantee for tho future
"That board never has heon able to
make a recommendation OF type in
these ships that has been good for two
wears in succession," he said.
Expects Deficit.
Mr., Hale estimated that there would
be deficit at tho end of the year
Mr.. Clay, continuing, declared that one
of the big battleships cost twice as
much as the costof governing the en-
tire state of Georgia for year, Mr.
iGallinger pointed out that there han
been substantial reduction this year
in both the army and the navy hills,
but he also found that IA deficit would
be shown at 3theend of the year. While
agreeing that the country had been
RUNNING wild In hematter of the size
of ships he EXPRESSED the opinion thar
the safest way was to carry ont the
present program for shipbuildlng. He
thought the United States should have
on adequate navy
Nlr. Bnrtons speech was in support
of a diminution of military effort. lIei
contended that in her civilization, so-.
llation and resources the United states
had able protection