Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-24
MORE SHIPS OF WAR.
President Taft for Big Navy to
Insure Peace.
NOT TIME TO ECONOMIC
Nation Should Be Prepared to Com
mand the Worlds Respect.
TWO NEW BATTLESHIPS A YEAR
Assures Navy League He Will Sign
Such a Bill if Passed
by Congress.
TWO NEW BATTLESHIPS YEAR


Il am partly responsible for the expend-
itures of this nation, am willing to
sign a bill providing for two more bat
tleships.'
Reiterating his aspirations for univer-
sal peace, and declaring his belief in the
policy of preparedness for war pending
the establishment Of ideals Of world tran
quillity, President Taft also put himself
ON record as in favor of the program for
naval efficiency. speaking at the peace
meeting under the auspices oftthe Navy
League, held yesterday afternoon in Me-
mortal Continental Hall.
Il believe it right to be in favor Of uni
versal peace" said the President, "and-
while peace does not prevail-te
be prepared for those who might at
tack us by getting ready to resist them
Therefore I believe in a navy efficient
to command the respect Of the world.
Time to Economic Not Yet.
THE time has not come to economic
in respect to the navy. The navy is ex-
pensive. So is the army expensive, and
war is expensive. The expense of war is
a good reason to abolish war.
But until war is abolished we have got
to meet the situation. And until war is
abolished we would be lacking in wisdom
and foresight unless we maintained eff
Gent army and navy.
Congress therefore should provide two
battleships. We need other ships, as
well, for the navy, but we can hustle
about and get the .auxiliaries when they
are needed.
-,
Panama canal will double the efficiency
of the navy. But We ought to have two
navies-one for each coast.
For the present we ought to keep up
construction, as battleships go out OF
style quickly. In q decade or a decade
and a half at most they are obsolete.
ITO keep up with other nations two
battleships are not too great an expendi-
ture every year.
Gen. Porter Presides.
Gen. Horace Porter former ambassador
to France and president of the Navy
League. presided over the peace meeting
In opening the ceremonies he commented
on the difficulties Of any international
agreement for world peace.
At the first International peace confer
ence, with all nations of the civilized
world represented, he recited the story
OF opposition to limitation Of armament
Several nations delegations. he said,
ference chamber II the subject was even
preached.
He urged that the United States
should be put in a condition not only
to urge universal peace, but to command
it. four-battleship program, he con-
sidered, would probably provide for this.
No. better way could be found for the
establishment of world peace, in the opin-
ion Of Gen. Porter, than in the patriotic
furtherance of the naval policy elaborated
Rear Admiral Richard Wainwright
U. s.. N, retired, was then introduced
Admiral Wainwright, citing history. told
Of the navy in deciding the success OF
the wars Of the United States. as a prac-
teal object lesson in advocacy Of the
naval program.
He said, in part:
Duty Of the Navy League.
1T becomes my pleasant duty to tel
what we naval officers think the Navy
League should do. Why, work for thu
navy. You may say that the sentiment
throughout the country is already favor
able to the navy. True, but it is like thu
sentiment u the English for their army
as outlined by Kipling.
But nd IFS 9ne ini r. r sG' line of eroes
When the band begins to play
"England's sentiment for her navy II
very different from that for her army
1t is business sentiment, and makes it.
self felt at every note. Is it founded or
self-interest. Great Britain's existence
depends upon her sea power.
Now, 1t is the duty of all those who
join the Navy League to convince them
selves and then convince their friends
that the United States really requires a
powerful and efficient fleet, ever ready to
preserve the peace; then to make the
Congress acquainted with their desires
for strong navy in the same effective
way they would urge their needs for a
new federal building. a post office.
ITO convince themselves they must
read q little history and dig below the
surface. Take. the Spanish war. The
sentiment during and Immediately after
the war, as gathered from the news
papers, was very strong, and 1t was be-
lieved that the navy did the best possible
with the materials at its command But.
with all this sentiment, only two naval
officers were promoted to high rank as q
reward. Dewey was made the admiral OF
the navy and Hobson was given the rank
Of captain.
Dav Of the Navv