The Washington herald., 1913-09-14

"seagoing coast defense battleships''-
the fact that the name was a contradic-
ton IN terms being Of very small conse-
quence compared to the fact that we
cid thereby get real battleshipa
Our men had to be trained to handle
the ships sipgly and in fleet formation.
and they had to be trained to use the
new weapons Of precision with which
the ships were armed. Not q few OF
the older officers. kept in the service
under our foolish rule of pure seniority
promotion, were not competent Tor the
task; but a proportion of the older Of
fieers were excellent, and this was true
OF almost all the younger officers. They
were naturally first-class men, trained
IN the admirable naval school at An
napolis. They were overJoyed that at
last they were given proper instruments
to work with, and they speedily grew
to handle these ships individually in the
best fashion. They were fast learning
TO nandIe them IN squadron ana meet
formation: but when the war with Spain
broke out, they had as yet hardly
grasped the principles of modern scien-
tine naval gunnery.
The Inevitable War.
Soon after I began work as Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy 1 became con-
vinced that the war would come. The
revolt in Cuba had dragged its weary
length until conditions in the island had
become so dreadful as to be a standing
disgrace to us for permitting them to
exist. There is much that / sincerely
admire about the Spanish character; and
there are few men for whom I have felt
greater respect than for certain gentle.
men Of Spain whom 1 have known.
But Spain attempted to govern her
colonies on archaic principles which rem.
dered her control Of them Incompatible
with the advance OF humanity and intol-
cradle TO the conscience OF mankind. In
1893 the so-called war in Cuba had drag
ged along for years with unspeP ka BILE
horror. degradation. and misery. II was
not war" at all, but murderous op-
preston. Cuba was devastated.
Pence ana Murder, or War and
Progress.
During those years, while We continued
at peace" several hundred times as
many lives were lost, lives OF men, wom-
en-. and children. as were lost during the
thEee months war which put an end to
this slaughter and opened a career of
peaceful progress to the Cubans. Yet
anthropists who cared SO much more for
names than for facts that they preferred
peace" Of continuous murder to a
war" which stopped the murder and
brought real peace.
SPANS humiliation was certain, any,
how; indeed. IT was more certain without
war than with II, for she could not per-
manently keep the island, and she minded
Welding to the Cubans more than yield
ing 10 us. Our own direct interests
were great. because OF the Cuban tobac-
co and sugar. and especially becau.e of
Cuba's relation to the projected Isthmlan
Canal But even greater were our inter
ests from the standpoint of humanity.
Cuba was at our very doors. II was a
dreadful thing for us to sit supine and
watch her death agony II was our duty,
even more from the standpoint Of national
honor than from the standpoint of ma
tionsl interest. to stop the devastation and
destruction. Because OF these considera-
tions l favored war: and today. when in
retrospect II is easier to see things clear
ly. there are few humane and honorable
men who do not believe that the war
was both just and necessary.
The big financiers and the men gener-
ally who were susceptible to touch on
the money nerve. and who cared nothing
for national honor II IL conflicted even
with business prosperity,
were against the war. The more fatuous
type Of philanthropist agreed with them.
The newspapers controlled by. or run in
the interests OF, these two classes depTe-
"a ted war, and did everything in their
power TO prevent any preparation for
war. As a whole the people in Congress
we're at that time land are now a short
sighted set rs regards international mat
lcrs. There were a few men. Senators
'ushman X. Davis and II. c. Lodge, for
Instance. and John Morgan. VINO did look
lhead: but most OF the Congressman
we're content to follow the worst OF all
possible courses. that is, to pass resOlu-
ions which made war more likely, and
Jet to decline to take measures which
would enable US to meet the war If it
lid Gomez
However. in the Navy Department We
we're able 20 do a coed deal, thanks to
he energy and ability of some of the
bureau chiefs, and to the general good
one of the service. | soon found py
natural friends and allies in such men bs
evans, Taylor. Sampson. Wainwright
3rownson. Schroeder, Bradford. Cowles, I