The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-25
SNEERS IN CONGRESS
FOR BATTLE HEROES
Troops Deserve No More Honor
Than Police and Firemen,
Says Saunders.
CALLS BIG NAVY FAILURE
Two Battleships Enough In
Mexico-Martial Spirit
Ia Deplored.
CALLS BIG NAVY FAILURE

WAHHINGTON, AVrII ES.-A TofnuTkbUi0
speech for war times sharply critical Of
those who iaud military heroes, was de-
iivered In the House to-day BY Repressn-
tativs Saunders. Democrat. from Virginia
Mr.. Saunders declared that men who
participate In battle are no more heroes
than fremen who risk their lives In con-
hagrations or policemen who are In 1so-
! ,rdy In times Of riot and disorder. He
deprecated laudation of military heroes.
asserting that this inspired . martial
spirit and forced countries to appropriate
large sums for munitions Of war.
Mr.. Saunders 10 Identified with the
"small navy" group In the House and the
members In sympathy applaudsd en-
Enthusiastically.
The situation In Mexican waters to-
day Is q complete rsfutstion OF the argu-
ment that great navy will secure peace"
shouted the virsinian. If that Be true
why are we AZ war with Mexico now, .
weak. puny nation. with practically no
navy At AM
1.-TWO American battleships would b.
ample to deal with the Mexican navy.
II simply shows that II you prspare for
q great war you develop tho war spirit A
small navy 10 less likely to produce war
than . great one.
Oaly Doins . Daty.
''why should you praise men for simply
doing their duty In our army and our
nayy7" asked Mr.. Saunders THAT is
what they have been educated for and
for them to do less would he to court dis
grace and dishonor,"
Mr.. Saunders said that Fighting Bob
Evans was born In little town IN Vir-
gina.
probably 10 he had not gotten the APP
pointment To the Naval Academy no would
have been postmaster OF Floyd, va,
said the Virginia Democrat
Mr.. Saunders said that many boys were
sent to the military academies who prob
ably could not do we'll at home" He de-
nounced the tingo press for printing ar
ticles that. he said. aroused the war spirit
and thus plunged the country into dini-
culties
Mr.. Saunders began his speech with a
vigorous attack on tho general navy
board. lie charged that this board tried
in evary way To exercise dominating In
iiuence over the naval committees OF
Congress. Mr.. Saunders advanced the
argument that Congress should he SUI
preme IN laying down a naval policy and
that 1t should ignore the conclusions OF
the general board.
The Nirginian insisted that Congress-
men are just as patriotic az naval Offi-
GERS, and he intimated that they were
just as we'll qualined to work out plans
for defence and offence.
says Figures Are JaERleA.
Representative Witherspoon OF Missis-
sippi. another Democrat who operates
with the small navy group, also spoke
| lie reiterated his charges that figures
had been juggled in an effort TO show that
| the American navy Is inferior In strength
| to that OF Germany.
This Is done in order 20 arouse the
| lingo spirit and force greater battleship
! appropriations from Congress-" said Mr..
Witherspoon.
! lilo insisted that the strength of the
navy had purposely been moderated in
| order to pad the naval budget lie cited
| figures, comparing American and German
armament. reaching the conclusion that
America Is far superior To the sea force
OF Germany In nearly every respect
| In the course of debate Representative
! pupro of Louisiana called attention 10
the death ut Vera Cruz Of Louis Oscar
| Fried Of Gretna, La who was u marine
| attached 20 the Florida.
Fried was the first southern man 10
fall in this war. and rise to honor his
memory" said Mr.. Dupre.
The House applauded.
! Early in the day the House passed a
bill appropriating i?230 for improve
ments at the New orleans Navy Yard.
So far no request has come from the
Secretary nf the Navy that tho entire
appropriation Of Sli2,000.0oO carried by
the naval bin be made Immediately avail
able. Naval officers have told HOUSE
members that n clause should be insert I'd
making the money available for eXpendi-
ture at once and this probably Will bs
I done before the bill leaves the Senate