The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-05-25
MONEY sQUANDERED

MAVNG4 0VOxANOEsESEi
A Writer Deals With "The Extrava.
sanee Of Patriotism"
With a presidential election draw
ing near we should do we'll to ponder
what Herbert Bruce Fuller has to
tell US in his article, "How Congress
Squanders Our Money" in the May
Lippincott's. This, the first of series
OF three papers, deals with 1.-THE Elk.
travagance of Patriotism"
"There may be an honest difference
of opinion as to the advisability of
building expensive battleships and
maintaining an enormous navy" he
says; "but there can be no difference
Of opinion On one point: that the
money appropriated should be SO ex-
pended as to bring the largest possible
results. For a dollar expended, let
us have a dollar in value. Are we
getting it?
I'VE are today maintaining nine
navy yards on our Atlantic coast, be-
sides the navy yard at New Orleans.
on the Gulf of Mexico. These are To-
Gated at Portsmouth, Boston, New,
York, Philadelphia, Washington, Nor
folk, Charleston, Pensacola, and Key
west. For the most part these navy
yards have come down to us from q,
former generation. They were estab-
lished in the days of the old wooden
sailing ships, and have been continued
year after year at enormous cost for
improvements. Under modern condi-
lions, with our enormous battleships
of the Dreadnought class, they are
practically worthless as naval ba.es
and navy yards.
AT the time Of the outbreak of the
spanish war our naval affairs were
30 shaping themselves as to concern
trate our naval bases at two POINTS
New York and Norfolk. AS the result
of that war, the nation became affl,ct-
ed with a naval mania. The result
appropriations were not spent in ac.
cordance with naval or military ne.
cesslty' but as matter of political
expectancy. The old yards were re-
nab1litated at enormous expense. NOT
because 1t was either an economical
or efficient naval policy, but because
the members of congress represent,n,
the districts in which naval wards
were located were unwilling to gee
them abandoned even though the
military interests of the country de-
manded the concentration of the wards
at points having natural strategic and
naroor advantages. In order to Sc
cure the appropriations necessary tn
performing work essential to main.
tanning the navy on footing of eff
cheney, the Navy Department was OBJ
hged to perpetuate the stations at nm
desirable points. A naval station in
congressional districts considered n
political asset, since it means the To-
cal expenditure Of government money.
as well as desirable employment for
large number of men.
Yet with all our years we do not
today possess a single first class navy
yard or naval base which could be
, of value in time of war-where. for
example. we could dock more than
two battleships at one time. In 1903
Admiral c. F. Goodrich recommended
that the navy yard at Portsmouth be
abandoned. AS long ago as 1876 a
board Of naval officers, headed by Adj
mfral David D. Porter recommended
that the naval ground at New Or
leans be abandoned and dispensed
WITH Twelve years ago Rear Admir-
al Endicott recommended the aban-
donment of the Mare Island yard.
Since that date We have spent more
than 100000 on that yard alone.
During the entire existence Of the
Mare Island yard they have been able
to take but one battleship into the
yard and dock it. This was the Mis-
souri,. and she ran aground going in.
Despite the folly of retaining the
Portsmouth yard, we have in the last
ten years spent $1o.oo6ooo in MAIN
tanning and developing IT,"