Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-13
Case for the Navy
IRON oohsr's.


TusT about thirty years the first Cleveland aa-
u niinstration confronted by situation resemb-
ling the one that now opposes the administration
OF Mr.. wilSon Mr.. Cleveland was the least mag
NATIVE and excitabie OF men He held in the greatest
detestston the kind Of valnglotious BULLYING, called
unilitsrisn which has brought tumult on the world.
But besides being conservative. he was a man Of
watchful intelligence He had illusions about the
kind OF world he was living In. He did not pretend
to believe things that he knew were not true With
all his inclination toward peace, he the last man
on earth who would think Of going unarrned IN an
armed camp. In one Of his messages he wrote;
THE nation that cannot resist aggression IL con-
stanty exposed to t. Its foreign policy IL Of neeos-
city weak and ts NEGOTIATIONS conducted with die.
advantage because IL is not in condition TO enforce
terms dictated by it's sense Of right and Justice
Observe the language. To enforce terms. Not to
peade in vain for Justice but to compel Il by force
Of arms lie did not want navy (he saId) which wss
more than "a shabby ornament OF government"
but adequate 20 carry out should the necessity
arise. the purpose for which navies are Actually
built.
When he took office this country was peace.
There was no coherent public demand a real navy
The naval board had made recommendations which
had been dsregarded Ridlcuie OF inadequate sea
forces had exhausted itself against the mean Of 10
difference Incompetence and corruption at Washing"
ton. But he and his advisers were fariooking men
They foresaw the destiny OF the republic ana how
might be delayed through the jealousy Of other powers
The greater the destiny the greater the danger 80
public. they set 20 work boldly and, above all
promptly to create force that could offer stern
sistance TO any attempt 10 despoll our shores The
fruit OF this courageous policy OF real leadership was
the navy. which, fourteen years later, scattered tho
fra glnents OF tho Spanish fleet along The southern
OF Cuba for thirty miles with material dsB-
TO ships and with the loss OF only life,
sank the vessels IN Manila bay and was strong enough
TO treat with open contempt the impudence OF the
PruaSIan admiral Great and intelligent work
done later than 1855 but II was In the four years from
1884 70 1883 that the keel laid not only Of ships Of
but OF national policy OF defense that eventa-
ally made navy object OF pride for people
and Of respect for the people Of other countries
OF course would be ridiculous to attempt direct
comparison OF the navy which the Cleveland adilhs-
traon strapped with the navy OF today The navy
Of 1884 obsolete badly planned badly armed.
badly manned, and the whole. badly commanded.
The public has to believe that within the ilta-
lions by congress the present navy Is a thoroughly
sound fighting force Perhaps have dotted too much
this fsvorite OF the American people The navy
In undoubtedly uhdermAhned and underofficered-
Moreover II is reasonable to believe that s relative
power Is not az great az It was At the beginning Of
the European war II stands 70 that the forces
OF the nations engaged have gained knowledge OF
mancuvers and Workmanship. warlke ruses and
makeshifta, which could only he developed BY tho
practice OF actual warfare But accepting the opinion
that, for man, officer for officer, for gun.
we need not fear comparison many other elements
must enter into consideration Of the Adequacy OF
navy-weat OF the nation guarded length Of ts sea
coast, extent OF its ocean borne commerce. number
and renoteness OF IT'S colonial posse ions conspicuous
ness OF its position among the Importance OF
its legitimate ambitions IN the eyes OF other nations,
the attitude Of foreign peoples to It's people, the state
Of mind OF the world and OF course. the strength Of
any government that might be led by avarce or jeal
ousy or anger TO strike at Il. -, 4,
Consider the difference in the situation IN 1915 and
that in 1894 Thirty years ago our population war
about half as numerous as II Is todAy-ohr wealth
about ohe-thlrd great. We vera untroubiad by
quarrels with foreign nations we owned no posses
sIons in the Pacific we had not extended our pro-
lection over Cuba. Our see trade was smaller Our
relations with neshboFs were pleasant Mexico
was enjoying a period Of calm that promised 10 last
forever. There wab powerful undercurrent In Eng
land against progressive Increases in armament Gcr
MANY had given no sign OF vehturing on program
of vastly enlarged naval construction. The Panama
canal was not In existence Japan appeared content
with her pcstion minor state under the affable
patronage Of other nations. Moreover, we had not
chsileneed for place among the WORLDS powers In
fact, the great European nations did not affect 70
conceal their contempt for us and their treated
the patriotic deciamAtiohs Of our politicians az the
effusons of 20 many Jeftsrson Bricks
Time has changed the situation In nearly every
particular. We are the second richest country In the
world, At the end OF the war in all likelihood, we
will be the richest We have taken possession OF the
Philippines Hawaii and Porto Rico. We have placyd
Cuba under patronage and practically Forbidden
| her to herself We have acquired enormously
enhanced stake In the commerce OF the We
built the Panama canal THUS expoang another vulner
able spot Events and ambitions have elbowed
the country into place the great powers with
all the dsnsers that the position hnples Never very
eonciliatory toward forelgners always a little too
eockahoop IN our assertion OF the greatness 81 the
have done nothing 20 soften the envy OF other
nations Benevolent neutrality during this war has
produced anything but return Of benevolshoe II IL
| the general observation OF Americans living abroad
that arc Insahsy hated BY Germany, suspected BY
England and feared by Japan. Only in France--whisb
indeed Il the only country 70 which could reason
ably look for these sentirnentsdo find confidence
| and even affection But France is in no sense our
competitor and It's democracy and Ours are even ma
turai allies. 4l.t4Fs,htt
While these ehAnges have taken place in our re-
lations with fortisn nations, events have marched
swiftly all over the world England has built and Is
still building fast her engineers can rvet the
plates and mount the guns. navy exceeding the
widest dreams OF the big navy advocates OF few
wears aEo e,ernanv vhcb thirty vears Am ha ,,tis