The Washington herald., 1914-04-25
saunders RAPS
Martial Spirit
Deprecates Praise of Military
Heroes During Debate
in House.
NAVY BOARD ASSAILED
Virginian Asserts Mexican Situation
Refutes Arguments that Big Guns
Are Assurance of Peace.

A remarkable speech for war times.
sharply critical of those who laud mill
tary heroes. was deliv,..,- in the House
yesterday by Representative Saunders. n
Democrat from Virginia. Mr. Saunders
declared that men who participate in
battle are no mUte heroic than the fire
/ men who risk their .-.~s in fires, or the
policemen who are placed in jeopardy in
times Of riot and disorder. He depre-
Gated laudation of military heroes. az
serting that this had inspired the martial
spirit and forced countries to appro-
pirate large sums for munitions of war
Mr.. Saunders is identified with the
small navy" group in the House. and
the members in sympathy applauded Ell
Enthusiastically.
Refutes Big Navy Argument.
The situation in Mexican waters to-
day is a complete refutation of the
argument that a great navy will assure
peace shouted the Virginian. IF that
be true why are We at war with Mexico
now, weak, puny nation with prac-
tically no navy at all? Two American
battleships would be ample to deal with
the Mexican navy. 1t simply shows
that II you prepare for a great war you
develop the war spirit. A small navy
is less likely to produce war than a
great one.
why should you praise men for SIM
ply doing their duty in our army and
our navy" asserted Mr.. Saunders.
That is what they h.. e been educated
for. and for them to do less would be
20 court disgrace and dishonor."
Scores "Jingo Press"
Mr.. Saunders said that Fighting Bob
Evans was born in a little town in Vir-
ginia. Probably IL he had not got the
appointment to the Naval Academy he
would have been postmaster of Floyd.
| Va" said the Virginia Democrat
Mr. Saunders asserted that many boys
were sent to the military academies who
probably could not do well at hone"
| He denounced the lingo press for
printing articles that he said aroused the
war spirit. and thus plunged the coun-
<rv into difficulties.
Mr.. Saunders began his speech with
| vigorous attack on the General Navy
Board. He charged that this board
| tried in every way to exercise a dOmi-
mating influence over the Naval Com
mittee of Congress. Mr.. Saunders ad-
vanced the argument that Congress
should be supreme in laying down
naval policy. and that II should ignore
the conclusions of the general board. The
Virginan insisted that Congressman are
just as patriotic naval officers, and
he intimated that they were just as well
qualified to work out plans for defense
and offense.
Representative witherspoon. Of Missis-
sippi, another Democrat, who operates
with the small navy group. also spoke
in the House yesterday He reiterated
his charges that figures had been jug
gled" in an effort to show that the Ameri-
can navy is inferior in strength to that
of Germany. This is done in order to
arouse the Sngo spirit and force greater
battleship appropriations from Congress"
said Mr. Witherspoon. He insisted that
the strength of the navy had purposely
been underrated in order to pad the
naval budget with money for more bat
tleships and other additions to the fleet
He cited figures comparing American and
German armament. reaching the con-
clusiOn that the American navy is far
superior to the sea force of the Kaiser
in nearly every respect
Padgett Makes Reply.
Those figures have been repudiated |
by our committee and by the Navy De- |
partment,'' interrupted Chairman Pad |
gett. Of the House Naval Committee. |
This did not deter MIR. Witherspoon from
proceeding with his harangue against the |
advocates of a big navy.
In the course of debate Representative
Dupre, of Louisiana. called attention to
the death at Vera Cruz of Louis Oscar
L OF La, VINO was ma
rine attached to the Florida. "Fried was
the first Southern man to 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 900 for improve
ments at the New Orleans Navy Yard
The amount represented unexpended bal
ances of appropriations heretofore made
The bill was later passed by the Senate
Thnr tH-aS Cd
to the House. Just before adjournment
Chairman Padgett called up the measure
for final passage. and asked that a
change be made in the title. Objection
was made by Representative Fitzgerald
of New York. chairman of the Commit
tee on Appropriations.
This bill would not have been passed
earlier in the day if ! had been here"
said Mr.. Fitzgerald. The New York mem
Der went on to explain that all funds
needed for the war would readily be
appropriated by Congress, but that those
responsible would be alert to see to il
that such measures were not put through
in sliashod way. Il want to look into
this particular BILL" said Mr.. Fitzgerald.
So the bill went over.
The final touches were put on the
volunteer army bill by the House yester-
day. The conference report on the
measure was agreed to after a brief de-
bate.
Will Resume Debate Today.
Debate on the naval appropriation bill
will be resumed by the House today.
Chairman Padgett is hopeful of passing
II before adjournment tonight He is
anxious to have the budget in the hands
Of the Senate by Monday, If possible
So far no request has come from the
Secretary of the Navy that the entire
of 1924 100000 carried by the
dill be made Immediately available Naval
officers have told House members that
I clause should be inserted making the
money available for expenditure at once.
and this probably will be done before
The bill leaves the Senate.
DEATH RECORD.