The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-30
THE UNITED STATES
BOUGHT PEACE WITH
JAPAN SAYS HOBSON
The Alabama Congressman
Makes Final Appeal in
House for More AIDE
quate Navy

Washington, January e9.-In Il final
appeal in the House tonight for q
larger navy. Representative Hobson OF
Alabama declared il was his firm
conviction that the United States had
secured peace with Japan only hy Civ
ing assurances of speedy retirement
from the Philippines. In part of his
speech, which went into the record
but was not actually delivered. ne said
he believed that when the American
fleet went around the world during the
Roosevelt administration II was al
lowed to so to Japan only on the
assurance that it would be out of the
Pacific ocean by fixed time.
Formal denial by Secretary Bryan
that the administration Philippine
policy had been in any way affected by
negotiations with Japan or that the
subject had been discussed here or in
Toxic, MAS quoted by Mr. Hobson with
the remark that this did not change
his belief. as he would expect the sec
retary to deny it.
a am further convinced Mr. Hob
son continued. that our first inquiry
into the intentions of Japan in seiz-
ing Kiauehan and the islands IN the
Pacific will not be followed up, at
least by this administration, and that
Japan, as price of peace, Will be
given a free hand in China with the
prospect of the complete overthrow OF
the open door policy, leaving China to
its fate to become a governed nation,
while the commerce of America, which
In cotton goods alone fell off over
$4,000, 000 in Manchuria after Japanese
occupation, will be at the mercy of a
competitors while the overthrow of the
balance of power in the Pacific would
lead to an inevitable war
Reviews Situation
Representative Hobson said ne had
felt for sometime that the fleet never
would go to the Pacific under the
present administration. He reviewed
the situation in Europe, referring to
criticisms of Americas conduct IN the
war and to arbitrary treatment OF
American ships and declared the sit
uation closely paralleled the conditions
which led to the war with France in
1900 and to that with England in tS12
"Napoleon's resentment which led to
the war with France in $780, he said
was not as intense as the growing
resentment of Germany today at the
great source of supply of war mate
rails her enemy allies are finding In
America Great Britains attitude to-
ward our purchase of ships of Ger
many is nothing short of menacing.'
All these things. Mr.. Hobson insist
ed proved the imperative necessity of
STRENGTHENING the American navy far
beyond the point now contemplated. He
discussed the navy at length. compared
it with the sea forces of foreign pow
ers, and appealed for a reorganization
and for more men and more ships.
In a reply to Mr.. Hobson, Represen-
tative Williams of Illinois ridiculed the
idea of Japan landing an invading force
ON the Pacific coast and insisted that
war from any side was but remote
possibility.
Earlier in the day Representative
Gardner of Massachusetts, spoke in
support of his resolution for a COM
mission investigation of the country s
defenses
Fight Expected
General debate on the naval bill was
closed late tonight and reading Of the
measure for amendment will begin to-
morrow. The most vigorous fight will
be over the construction programme
providing for two battleships aud a
number of auXiliares. Representative
Hobson and others will endeaVor to
have that programme enlarged while