Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-05-02

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apparent, some authorities favoring
big navy, capable of holding its own
against that of any nation in the world,
and others arguing that little, il any,
increase should be made in the present
rate of battleship building.
Coincidental with recent discussions
of the problem caine the announce
ment that Secretary of State Bryan
had perfected new plan for the pro-
motion of world peace, having as Its
most original feature proposal that q
temporary limitation be put upon the
armament and war preparations of dis
putting nations.
Secretary Daniels of the navy de-
partment is big navy man. His
views were expressed recently at the
annual dinner of the Navy league of
the United States.
preparedness" he said, "can be
had only by rounding out and COM
pleting the navy and making it large
enough to be the strong right arm of
the republic and to do the work for
which the right arm is intended, not
for punishment. not for injury to 9th
ers, but for protection of oneself and
ones country. Let us have done for
once and forever with the silly boasts
OF the STRIPPING that we are able to
lick any nation on earth Let us have
done with threats, but let us have
done with the Understanding of our
strength, the minimizing of our naval
esprit de corps-of that spirit which
would deny that our naval heroes of
today are potentially as famous as the
men whose names are on every
tongue"
In conclusion. Secretary Daniels de-
clared that there must be cooperation
between naval experts and the people
if the latter are to be given correct in
formation concerning the development
of the navy.
Secretary Bryan. speaking at the
same meeting. declared his conviction
that, like himself, his auditors were
unanimous in their desire for world
peaeeik ilA tif}it afs lsa
"But while you are working hard for
more battleships," he said sniilinglye
81 shall work equally hard to elini-
nate the necessity for. more battleships
during the next four years"
The secretary paid high tribute to
Secretary Daniels and said he would
support him as brother cabinet Off
Ger He added quizzically3 that he
would withdraw that support, however.
the moment he felt the secretary of
the navy was seeking to increase the
navy unduly.
Congress stands in the way of eff
Client control of the navy. according to
Colonel Robert NJ Thompson. chair.
man of the executive committee of the
league.
Younger A6mirals Necessary.
younger admirals," he declared,
"also are necessary to make an Amer
lean fleet effective in time of war.
{ For some reason" said Colonel
Thompson, Congress has always had
a strong prejudice against giving high
rank to officers in the navy and has
persistently refused to provide for the
situation which confronts It,
Under the present law" he declar-
ed, "our admirals are too old when they
reach the flag rank and they have had
too little experience in command to be
properly qualified for handling the feet
in time of war;
a.. Use of Airships.
According to Captain w. /. Cham
bers, U. S. n, neither the dirigible nor
the aeroplane will ever supplant the
modern battleship as sea fighting
force. He said the aeroplane, however,
would be of great value in an auxiliary
capacity.
Democratic members of the senate
ON first learning of Secretary Bryan's
peace plan regarded the scheme as
more or less visionary and impractical
BILE. bnt as they talked it over with him
they came TO look with greater favor
on his views.
The Bryan plan aims at the same
end that the Taft scheme of general
arbitration treaties had. In fact. Mr..
Wilson's secretary of state seems to be
imbued with the desire topick the Taft
movement up where it was wrecked
and by avoiding the features to which
the senate objected and by adding a
few new ones of his own to carry it
through to successful conclusion.
Mr.. Bryan. like Secretary Knox of
the Taft administration, hopes to pro-
mote world peace through setting up
international machinery which will
open the way for nations to cool off in
times when passions are running high
and will afford an opportunity for a
second thought, In fact. the Bryan
policy already is being referred to as
that Of "the sober second thought
Court of Inquiry.