The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24

First Lord of the .Ad,n,raIty. in the
british House of Commons. defining
britains naval policy. The former
vigorously applauded tho speech as Il
challenge to Germany, and somc OF
them even read into 1t a taunt; the
ia''er accepted It as IL challenge. and
stroTc to construc it into an official
expression of Gcrmanophobia. But the
efforts of both to create real sensa
'ioh or inspire popular arrogance on
me one side and intensity anglophobla
on the other died "a-bornin:" and for
the simple common sense reason that
the speech furnished no food on which
sensation could feed, and. upon anaiy-
/ SIS. could not be distorted into anything
nut what was plain on it's face and
the occasion Of the deiivcrancc 1t
was Impossible 10 discover in il any OF
ihe covert threats alleged to have
peeh discovered in the naval allusions
IN speech Afr. Churchill made lust
ABOUT the time of Lore Ialdane's visit
70 Gemnary, and which It was
feared would throw the fat of that
mission into the fire Indeed, what
ever may have been clouded or am
biguous In those utterances was dis
sipatcd and clarified by the House or
Commons declaration.
IN asserting the necessity OF Great
6ritain's maintaining h,r naval SUI
premacy, Mr. Churchill only asserted a
TACT patent TO all Intelligent men. The
DAY that britannia ceases to rule the
waves that wash the shores around
the Tight Little Isle tho Atlantic
shores Of the European Continent mud
'hS mediterranean coasts her power
ana prestige will be no more. Germany
may be swept from the sea and stillI
he able to defy invasion: still remain
not only encountered. but In position
70 conquer. Not so with Great Britain.
Heaten ut sea. she would be little lcss
'han completely beaten: the bulwark
NOT merely of the United Kingdom, but
OF the whole imperial fabric. would
nave been rendered sadly Vulnerable
If not been virtually overthrowp. Tho
brltlsh naval program and policy Mr..
Churchill outlined were at tho last
nothing more or less than 4 mathcmatl
eai demonstration OF tho above truths.
ana JuStiiication of the law OF self
preservation. In neither the demon |
stration nor the Justification was ,hcra
the semblancc of a tarnt; was there
2uSht Mt which Germany could. with /
out qualification, take exception. much
less offcnse. She is debarred from
protest by the clinching suggestion.
put Yourself in her place
For the rest. Mr.. churchll ONLY
made Il frank. fair. honest. business
to Gcrmany--a proposition,
'ha' would save both nations millions
annually, and which was 10 let tho
relative naval strength cf the two ma
LIONS remain practically what II nov. 10
and call it square. In this no NUM-
Germany on tho defensive in The con /
%reSation of nations. In tho logic OF
the situation and the circumstances he
placed the responsibility OF naval cx- |
pans'on and the consequent continued
enormous expenditures the world over
chieilY upon the shoulders Of the Ger
man government. That Britain's naval
Increase must be based on Gcrmany's
does not admit OF argument: equally
is it not open to argument that the
Increase Of both must N large part
regulate naval increase by the other
great powers
Whether Germany will accept the
proposition Is. OF course, problematical.
But the calmncss with which tho peo-
pie of both countries have come to lool,
upon Mr.. Churchiu's explanation. i,
addition 10 indicating in marked de-
gree abatement of Anglo German III
feeling ana removal of popular Anglo
German misunderstanding, encourages
the hope that under tho influence OF
cold Judgment, dispasslonate reasoning.
and the incontrovertiblo facts OF tho
case, she VIII accept That all nations.
not TO say civilization and humanity /
are deeply interested in her response
her dctcrmination-is Obvious. since /
her acceptance could bur prove Tho
beginning of the end Of disarmament |
in large measure at least IT could not /
but impart great and gratifying i'm
pulse to arbitration. 1t could not but !
prove in the nature of most reas-
surfing international peace bond.
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