The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
NAVY UNFIT FOR WAR,
SAYS F. D. ROOSEVELT
Assistant Secretary Asserts l..
s. Has Only is Ships for
First Line Defence.
EASY FOR 4 FOE TO LAND
Government Guilty Of False
hood to People About
Fleet, He Declares.
EASY FOR 4 FOE TO LAND

Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Frank
the Duchess County Society at the Hotel
Astor last night that the American Gov
eminent had been guilty Of a falsehood
to the American people In telling them
that the United States has thirty-sx or
thirty battleships built or building.
He blamed the last Administration and
the present one for this deceiving state
ment
That statement he said. does de-
ceive nine out OF ten citizens. We have
to-day only sixteen ships we can send
effectively against the first line of tne
enemy. We can't win control of the ocean
unless we can cripple or destroy the en-
emy's fleet.
"If our first fleet is destroyed I would
give the command of foreign fleet to
any Lieutenant and guarantee that he
could effect a foothold on the eastern
coast OF the United States. I am not an
alarmist. This is plain unvarnished fact
Plenty of Dcfcnccs. hut
ut is true that We have def.nces on
our coast There are 200 of 1000 miles
of coast lines protected. IL I couldn't
land on some portion OF the 1880 miles
as ~ ltItleI II N'l' a.
Japanese l would commit hara kr'
Mr.. Roosevelt began his speech by say
ing AS this Is the last appearance OF
Battling Ed Plat and myself ON tbs
Chautauqut circle We are gong TO rem
der Alone in Washington. or Boy Scouts
at the Helm Then he went on to say
that the navy to-day is efficient to the tor
notch.
But that does not mean." he resumed
"tlat will A. large In mont N
of January, 1915. As Democrat have
a great reverence FOR Thomas jefferson
but he had as much idea of the value of
a navy as the people OF Portland. Me
when at the outbreak OF the spanish
American war the rich men and bankers
there pctitioned the Government for pro
lection a-ainst the spanish fleet.
THE American people to-day are talk
ing in terms OF 1872 and Thomas Jeffer-
son. They don't apply in 1914 To-day
there are people who believe a battlesh!I
unnecessary TO a navy.
what the Omcers Say.
IL made "A test few days ago. | asked
twenty officers in the navy which they
| would rather do IN case of fight be
tween ten battleships OF the oregon elias,
and the Wyoming command the ter
Oregons or the one Wyoming. The answe
| of nineteen OF those officers was tina
they would rather command the NNo
ming. The odds were In her favor. Tn
other fellow had sporting blood and sal,
the Wyoming might blow up OF her owl
| accord.
Il can't help believing that the Amer
| can people have got somewhere the bust
| ness sense that they must not. will no
make the navy the kind II was thirt!
| years ago. You will come to the con
| ciu.icn.' II you think 1, o"rr. that III
| American navy costs but little from al
| economic standpoint.
! "I think ! can say without cnmmtilu!
| an ndiscretion that since Marvh las
| more naval vessels have been employed ~
! international relations than At any perio
OF our existence except durinS the time o
! war
District Attorney Whitman was n CUES
| OF honor. Gov. Glyun dropped IN at IN
gathering early IN tie evening before 80
| ing on To two other dinners. District Al
torney Whitman didn't arrive until Ion
after the Governor had left. The D!strc
| Attorney received IA bigger ovation ina
the Governor.
The Governor. who spoke between tn
soup and fish, told OF some of his project
to benefit the farmers OF the STATE,