The Washington herald., 1912-02-23

would be dried up. public buildings in
definitely postponed, and rivers and
harbors forgotten, so far as concerns
the fertilizing streams that now pour
annually from the National Treasury. Ii
is mere question of enlightenment If
the individual can be made to realize
that the country must be adequately
protected before there is assurance of
safety for any domestic enterprise. he
viii at once agree TO a perfection OF
the bulwarks that protect his activities
from constant hazard and vicissitude.
The country abounds IN patriotic emo
ton that has not yet been awakened.
If the voters understood the situation
in all its bearings, Congress would not
hesitate moment, for no Congress
man could remain in public life who
neglected his patriotic duty in the pur-
suit of personal ends, however specious
The first obligation resting on publi-
cists, therefore, is that of spreading the
propaganda of national defense, and to
the extent 10 which this is done our
national integrity will be guaranteed.
The present programme of the gov
ernment includes two battle ships per
annum. 1t is not an aggressive pro-
gramme. 1t does not lead to war or
constitute an invitation to war The
idea is, simply TO keep the United
States navy at normal strength very
modest standard, considering our pro-
digious coast line and our numerous
insular possessions-and the proposed
feet would be equal only to the dis
couraging of attack and the protection
of our growing commerce and our far
flung line of ocean outposts. This
scheme the Democratic House has con-
cluded 10 challenge, using the pretext
of economy. Examination discloses the
fact, however, that retrenchment is pro-
posed, not so much for actual saving as
for the liberation and endowment of
domestic enterprises at government eN-
pense. The Navy Department has in
dicated enormous possibilities in the
suppression and abandonment of use
less, undesirable. and superannuated
navy yards, but to this postulate is op-
posed the same old barrier of local poll
tics and selfish interest. Millions of
dollars year could be saved by sur
render of navy yards and infinite bene-
fits bestowed on American commerce
by their conversion TO the uses OF
trade If Congress really seeks econ
omy, here is its opportunity, as Con-
gress perfectly well understands; but
the political idea is dominant at pres
ent, and, as the patriotic body of the
voters is not properly informed, the
real springs of economy arc carefully
obscured and the obvious but fictitious
ones revealed.
The Navy League" is to assemble
in Washington within a few days. II
is patriotic body, composed to a small
extent of navy officers, active and re-
tired, but to a much larger extent of
intelligent and public-spirited citizens
who realize the nations need of we'll
equipped navy, and have banded to-
gether to establish a bureau for the
collation. and dissemination of enlight-
eminent among the population at large.
1t is in no way supported by the gov
ernment. 1t is in no sense an engine of
the administration 1t is maintained by
voluntary tribute, and its activities are
directed to the information of the
American people. Its membership is
distributed among thirty-three States,
and already numbers more than 1000
What is more, it is growing in proper
tions and in influence, and very soon, as
its lofty purpose is disclosed and its
virtuous and unselhsh ideas appeal to
public sympathy, its propaganda will
gather force and attain to the patriotic
supremacy it deserves. When that con-
summation shall have been reached, as
it surely will be, no Congress will dare
propose the subordination of our mill
tary defenses to merely personal and
local enterprises, for the people will
have been fully educated and they will
not have ii so. TheSpofk barrel will
have to wait upon its betters.
Meanwhile, the Navy Department
asks for mere continuation of estab-
lished policy-two battle ships each
year to keep Our feet at normal
strength. as obsolete and delinquent
ships are eliminated. This policy the
Democratic House has vcntured TO
challenge, but no one believes that the
challenge emanates from the Democ-
racy at large or that, in the last resort,
it will find serious approval among the
intelligent and the patriotic.