The herald., 1912-10-31
Our Naval Station
AGITATION AGAIN BEGUN BY OUR
LOCAL EXCHANGES.

| Means for making New Orleans the
base of operations for a number OF
vessels of the United States navy and
for the reopening of the naval station
here, which has been unused for some
time. constituted the topics for discus
sion at a special meeting of the Board
of Directors of the Progressive Union
at lunch hour Thursday. reso-
luton was passed asking the JOINT
committee. composed of representa-
tives from all the commercial organl-
cations of the city, to make an early
and definite report to the Progressive
Union on the plans and policy decided
upon enabling the Progressive Union
to proceed more intelligently in its ef'
forts for the reopening of the station
and the establishment of New Orleans
as naval base.
Ii was the sense of the gathering
that all the commercial bodies should
make a uniform request. Ii was voted
that the Algiers Improvement Associ-
alton, which has done good work tor
the cause, be given a representative
on the committee which has the mat
ter in charge. r. S. Stearnes was Sc
lected as the representative from Al
giers.
Until the report shall have been re-
ceived from the joint committee OF
commercial exchanges no definite
plan of action will be adopted by the
Progressive Union. After the report
is received, all the bodies propose
uniting and spending money, time and
effort in convincing the next Congress
that New Orleans is the key point for
a naval squadron, especially in view OF
the prospective opening of the Panama
Canal. Weakness of the objection TO
New Orleans as a naval base, that it is
100 miles inland, and could be bottled
up" easily, was shown by the state
ment that Philadelphia, which is far
up the Delaware, is the base of opera
lions for more than a squadron, and
that New Orleans is a much more vital
point in the country's defense than the
Quaker City. This city was pronounced
the point of defense in case of any
trouble with other countries, and that
without adequate defense here the en-
tire Mississippi Valley would be an
easy prey to enemies.
How to attract the attention Of Con-
gress to the New Orleans port was dis
cussed, and several were of the opin-
ion that enough benefit could be reap
ed by Louisiana to insure the hiring
of paid lobbyists to wait on Congress
and continually press the matter for
ward for action. Mr.. Stearnes, of AL
giers, declared that more benefit had
been derived from the work Of the con
gressmen from the northern part or
the Mississippi than from any work
of the local senators and representa-
'tives.
He suggested that the local con-
gressmen be urged to confer with the
men from Illinois, Missouri, Kansas
and other Northern states, and help
them in their local issues in order that
their support could be depended upon
to get Congress to direct its attention
to the local conditions. He declared
that Chicago was the second greatest
point in regard to publicity in the
country, and that if the Chicago pa
pers could be made to sympathize with
local conditions, stress would be laid
on the importance of establishment of
naval facilities here, and consequently
heavy pressure could be brought to
bear on an unfavorable administration.