The Detroit times., 1910-01-06
MUST BUILD UP
NAVY OR DROP BACK
Britain Must Spend 100000, 900
on Fighting Ships in 1910 OF
Lose Leading Position.

LONDON, jar o.-Wm. Il. Stead
sends the following TO the New York
American:
Tie Old World confronts the New
Year without any sanguine confidence
In the gifts that may be I'm store for
II. IL IL be that the year 1910 bring
Us no war. many will be content. but
no one is daring enough To hope thG1
1910 will see any pause In the appail-
ing expenditure in the preparations for
war. Indeed, the peace OF 'beggar-my-
neighbor' competition promises 10 De
swifter than ever. for the New Year
finds Great Britain at the parting OF
the ways.
II John Bull is not definitely to give
up his historic position as Lord OF the
Seas, he will have 10 find an additional
thirty million dollars for warships in
1910. The naval vote in 1909 was
S170.000,000; In 1910 II will be over
5000. 100000, unless England has
thrown up the sponge and admits she
is knocked out.
Germany, which has nearly doubled
its naval expenditure since the las,
Hague Peace conference, will spend
this year nominaily $4,000, 900. but
in reality $160. 900. 900. because expen-
diture put down 10 the navy In Eng
land amounting 10 S50.000,000 Is dis
tributed under other votes in Ger
many. England, even IL she spends
$500. 900 900, will be sore put TO main
tain the two-powe- standard when
Germany is spending $3.50. 100000. To
keep up her tw, keels TO one pro-
ufa mill rAns,irn naval IF
5000. 900, 900. but OF $500, 900.
Must Pay Or Go Under.
II Is a stern ai.ernative-pay or go
under-but In this beggar-my-neighbor
game. which has replaced actual war,
as the test OF the resources and stani-
ira OF nations, there is no middle way
to escape.
In the pending general election the
gravity Of the issue is obscured by the
fact that the leaders OF neither side
dare put the grim reality before the
electors. The Peers, who are protest
ing against the ''ronstrous exactions"
OF the budget, do not dare tell the
country that IL they are placed ia
lower they will be compelled to exact
not sixteen, but twenty millions ster-
ling OF additional taxation. The Lib
erals, VINO hate all warlike expendi-
ture. prefer to extol the present
strength instead OF attending to the
future needs OF the navy.
The anti-German panic mongers
have made themselves ridiculous by
an army OF two million
men for the defense of the French
frontier.
The constitutional issue obscures
the other questions, but when the first
cabinet meets after the general elcc-
ton to frame the estimates for the
year, the challenge will have TO be
faced. Great Britain will be at the
crises of her destinies. -
The Irony OF Gladstone.
Will she flincn. or will she pay. pay.
pay? That is the supreme question
for which the New Year awaits the
answer.
We have been celebrating Glad
stones centenary amid chorus OF
grateful voices supplied by the nations
which he helped to liberty and indie
rendence. but nothing could show how
Iar we have drifted from the Glad
stonian era than that we should be
the prospect OF a naval vote
Of 500 900, 900. The mere proposition
s enough to make the Grand Old Man
urn in his grave. His statue In the
strand lends itself more effective-y
o floral decorations than the statue
" his great rival IN Parliament-sq.,
,ut II Ia costlier TO bank up statue
n December with lilies and orchids
han to pile up votive offerings Of
,rimroses before Beaconsfelds in
April.
Unkind are the Fates. On the
Unionist side Chamberlain is perman-
sntly invalided. Lord Miner has a
sprained leg. and now the Earl Of
percy's dead. On the Liberal side,
fIaldane is laid up with a bad cold.
The Peers will al retire from the
platform on the day the election writs
ire issued, on Jan. 10. They have done
heir bes;. but the fact Is that out or
800 not twenty could be induced to
AXE the stump-a significant illustTa-
ion of political indifference. or those
speaking. one-half were new Peers.