The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-05

 in the providing of ample equipment in case it should be necessary to call all forces into the field.
 Moreover, it has been American policy time out of mind to look to the navy as the first and chief line of defense The navy of the United States is already a very great and efficient force. Not rapidly, but slowly. with careful atten- tion, our naval force has been developed until the navy of the United States stands recognized as one of the most efficient and notable of the modern time. All that is needed in order to bring it to a point of extraordinary force and efficiency as compared with the other navies of the world is that we should hasten our pace in the policy we have long been pursuing, and that chief of all we should have a definite policy of development. not made from year to year, but looking we'll into the future and planning for a definite consummation. We can and should profit in all that we do by the experience and example that have been made obvious to us by the military and naval events of the actual present. 1t is not merely a matter of building battIeships and. cruisers and submarines, but also 8 mat ter of making sure that We shall have the adequate equipment of men and munitions and supplies for the vessels We build and intend to build. Part of our problem is the problem of what l may call the mobilization of the resources of the nation at the proper time if it should ever be necessary to mobilize them for national defense. We shall study the number and size of our ships, and believe that the plans already ill part made public by the navy department are plans which the whole nation can ap- prove with rational enthusiasm.
 Friendly Relations
 No thoughtful man feels any panic haste in this matter. The country is not threatened from any quarter. She stands in friendly relations with all the world. Her resources are known and her self respect and her capacity to care for her own citizens and her own rights. There is no fear amongst us. Under the new world conditions we have become thought full of the things which. all reasonable men consider necessary for security and self-defense on the part of every nation confronted with the great enterprise of human liberty and independence. That is all.
 ''Is the plan we propose sane and req sonable and suited to the needs of the hour? Does it not conform to the ancient traditions of America? Has any better plan been proposed than this programme that we now place before the country? In it there is no pride of opinion. It represents the best professional and ex- pert judgment of the country. But 1 am not so much interested in programmes as I am in safeguarding at every cost the good faith and honor of the country. If men differ with me in this vital mat ter, I shall ask them to make it clear how far and in what way they are in- terested in making the permanent inter- ests of the country safe against disturb ance.
 Requests Support for Programme
 'In the fulfillment of the programme I propose l shall ask for the hearty sup port of the country of the rank and file of America, of men of all shades of political opinion. For my position in this important matter is different from that of the private individual who is free to speak his own thoughts and to risk his own opinions in this matter. We are here dealing with things that are vital to the life of America itself. In doing this l have tried to purge my heart of all per- sonal and selfish motives. For the time being, speak as the trustee and guard ian of nations rights, charged with the duty of speaking for that nation in mat ters involving her sovereignty--a nation too big and generous to be exacting and vet courageous enough to defend its wherever assailed or invaded. I would not feel that I was discharging the solemn obligation I owe the country were