The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-17
MIR. ROBSON, 42 TO-DAY,
 FEARS LAPS AND RUM

Richmond Pearson Hobson, who rep l resents the Sixth Alabama district in the House of Representatives, is a brave, brave man. He proved his courage when he sank the Merrimac in Santiago harbor in an unsuccess- fal attempt to bottle up the Spanish fleet. Yet there are two things that inspire fear in the courageous Hobson heart, to wit; 1, The Yellow Peril. and 2 The Rum Demon. Since he entered Congress five years ago the hero of the Merrimac has worked unceasingly to bring his colleagues to realiza- tfon of the dire. perfls that threaten the republic. Congressman Hohson is still a youngster, for he was born at Greenst oro, Ala, which place he still
 calls home, on Aug. 1T, 1870, and is hence celebrating his forty second birthday today. One of the youngest men in Congress, he is also the bald est, with the possible exception of Nicholas Longworth, son-if1-law of Colonel Roosevelt.
 As Congressman, MT Hobson has been one Of the leaders in the peace movement but he believes that peace may be maintained only by building a navy large enough to enforce it. War between the United States and Japan he considers inevitable, unless the republic has provided at once ade- quate coast defenses along the Pacific mainland and in Hawaii and the Philippines, and places enough war ships on the Pacific to discourage Nippon's alleged warlike intentions In the absence of such protective measures, % is no trouble at all for MT. Hobson, to see the flag of Japan floating over Los Angeles. San Fran cisco, Portland and Seattle fleets of Japanese battleships in their ports and an army of a, million Japanese invad- fT1nr "a ha tion of Mexico.
 But even war does not present so many terrors to MT. Hobson as the Rum Demon. He has been figuring on this subject and has produced some statistics that are very interest more victims in America every yeaf. than war has claimed in the last 2,300 years. Since the era of. the Greeks and Phoenieians, he estimates 700.000 men have been slain in battle. He compares this with 725O0O Americans dying every year as the direct result of too much alcohol
 The hero of the Merrimac is one of the best educated men in the House. After four years in a private school, he graduated from Southern Univer ity and then became a student of the and the Eco1e Complication du Genie Maritime, in Paris. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1sS9 At Annapolis ne was quiet and studious young man, a bit eccen-l tric in manners, and he came in for a good deal of hazing during his plebe year. The climax came when an up- per c1assman sought to have young Hobson assert that white was black, ssbecause I say it is, sir!'' Then the plebe turned. and declared, calmly and concisely: Sir, I will not tolerate any more of your scurriious contumely," The youngest man in the class, Mr.. Hobson graduated at it's head.
 After a brilliant career in the navy, Mr. Robson retired in 1903, and de- voted himself to politics. featuring and writing He is the author of several books. including America Must Be Mistress of the Seas "Why America Should Hold Naval Supremacy, and Paramount Importance of Immediate Naval Expansion''-titles which indi- cate Mr. Hoasons principal mission in life.