The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-11
Senator Swanson StronuIy
Fav0rs Such Action
FIXED POLICY NECESSARY
senator Calls Attention to Tremendous
Increase in Naval Strength in All
tar Strength.
,By the Associated PreSs.)

tlSy the Associated fToSS.) |
Washington. June 8.-A program
for increasing the navy by the con-
struction of two battleships annually
aas advocated in the Senate today by
Senator Swanson, OF Virginia, in
speaking On the pending naval ap-
preparation bill. He said a fixed
policy was necessary to maintain the
ccdntry's prestige as the second naval
mower Of the world and that the neces-
Sity for an adequate navy was greater
today than ever before in American
history.
The best defense we can have for
our immense line of coasts is the
navy he aid 1T is impossible to
build forts or fo~rtifications that can
give adequate protection to the cOun-
try's great stretch OF coasts. Forts
can only protect q very limited area.
They are stationary and must wait
the .encmy's attack. A battleship. as
effective as a fort, can be carried
where needed for defense and pro-
lection. Americas safety from attack
lies far more in an adequate avy
than in fortificatiOnS.'
Senator Swanson called attention to
the tremendous increase in naval
strength in all countries in COMPARE
son TO military strength. This was
seen particularly, he said, in Great
Britain. Germany, France. Russia and
Japan. The oceans, formerly bar
riers between nations, ave become
the easiest means Of communication.
he said, and New York, for all pur-
poses Of commerce or war, was closer
To London than to San Francisco.
Power of Navy.
Naval supremacy ultimately means
national pre-eminence and triumph.
National So 1tE and national C1rraCC
are inseparable from naval strength
ana power. The destruction of the
Spanish armada in the English han
mel was the first and controlling cause
in the bloody drama which ended a
few years ago when the flag Of GRIM
son and gold was banished from the
western world and Spain closed her
Riittering career. Trafalgar was but
the prelude of Waterloo.
The heroic valOr, the superb mill
tary genius, the splendid victories Of
the Confederacy during the civil war
all faded before federal naval SUI
premacy The shadows Of Southern
gloom rose slowly but surely from the
pitilcss sea. The tremendous super
structure of Russian power n mill
tarV strength crumbled at Admira
Togo's triumph. Dewey'S guns a
Manila proclaimed alike the liberia
ton Of the Philippines, Cuba ant
Porto Rico. The Italian navy is thu
strong hand today which seizes Tripod
from the feeble grasp OF Turkey.
Encland'S Strength.
1t was the great navy of Grea
Britain that enabled her to carry he:
rule, civilization and t
every continent. in every clime, ar
among every people. 1t enabled he
TO wrest Canada from France. wit
vast possessions stretching to tn
North Pole. 1t has given to he
colonies in the far waters of the Pa
citic, exceeding in territory and rich
ness II domain ever ruled by tn
cesar, Egypt and the greater part Q
AFRICA. Britain's naval supremacy ha
gwen her one-fifth OF the habitabl
globe. Each year will witness the in
crease of national safety, power an
prosperity from the possession Q
naval strength. The world is on tn
eve Of a material development ia
exceeding anything which the imagi
nation Of The past has thought pos
siblc."
Senator Swanson said that tn
tropics were destined soon to hav
u pr~odigality of production and a
increase Of wealth almost unSpeaF
able and that nations must be pre-
pared to participate in the wealt
which would accrue from the va
commerce that the future held
store for those parts of the wOrl
Nauons unpoSSesSed Of ava Strengtl
ne predicted. would be either e,
GUIDED or Disseminated against
mat great trade.
a Futile Hope.
That nation is foolish today" ga.
senator Swanson, which trusts i
national safety and independence
paper parchments. I hope the DE-
VIII come when peace will domino
me world and national disputes W.
Dc determined by principles Of equi
ana Justice, promulgated by a prope
" constituted tribunal. But that d.
IS lar distant. All the first-clasS pOy
erS of the world are rapidlY increa