South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-27


league. in stirring speeches at Notre
Dame university and the high school
auditorium Tuesday afternoon and
evening. Mr.. Lewis emphasized pre-
paredness as the most important prob
lem in American life today.
WashingtOn's Policy.
The attention Of the audiences was
caught at once by the speakers dec
Iaration that the Navy league, Tor
which he was spokesman, stood only
for what Washington stood for-De-
ing prepared for war as the best as
surance of peace He did not claim
that war preparation is a force for
peace in all countries, but that IL Is
in free republics.
'aThe monarchs Of Europe have only
recently hurled their military forces
into war" said the speaker. while
switzerland, where every man is a
soldier, has kept out Of the war.
Where the people rule. as in the
United States, preparedness does not
mean war:-the people decide, and
we do not wish war"
War Provoked.
on the other hand. Mr.. Lewis
Argued. lack OF preparedness pro
vokes var. He quoted Patrick Henry
10 the effect that we must judge the
future by the past. and then showed
what the lessons of the past have
been.
After the Revolutionary war" de-
cIared the speaker the pacifists of
the time prevailed; our army and navy
were neglected till almost valueless,
and then followed prOvOcatiOn from
France and humiliation from the
Barbary pirates. The second war with
Great Britain. in 1912. found us un-
prepared. Detroit was captured and
Washington was taken by British
force five times smaller than the
American force defending the city, ana
the capitol burned.
French Backed Up.
con the contrary. the French, who
had violated the Monroe doctrine by
setting up in Mexico a throne for
NaximiIian whilst we were entirely
occupied with our Civil war, with
drew their forces at once, for the
sake OF peace, when they saw that
we had a trained. experienced and
weu-equipped army, and would not
hesitate to send it against them"
Those who delude themselves,
argued Mr.. Lewis, that peaceful peo-
pie who give no offence and who do
not wish war will not be molested,-
that il takes two to make a quarrel
are absolutely mistaken. Belgium, he
said. wished peace and had given no
from the invaders heel.
Isolation Useless.
Neither Will an Isolated position
protect US from attack" he said.
Even if il should, we are no longer
isolated The Germans said, as soon
as the canal was opened, The COM
merce OF the world has had to pass
beneath the British guns at Suez; now
the commerce of the world must pass
beneath the American guns at Pan
anna. The periodical scare of a war
with Japan is not all jingoism, IL is
a rot too remote possibility
Neither are they right who think
the great war in Europe viii so eN-
haust the combatants that they will
be unable, If not unwilling 10 make
further war We were willing to in
wade Mexico Immediately after our
Civil war, the hlOOdiest and most eX-
hausting war ever fought, up to that
time
Costs Too Much.
Mr. Lewis having spoken of the
possitae dangers to be met. turned his
attention TO our preparedness TO meet
them. At the outset our system is at
fault in that the same body - con-
gress-appropriates and expends the
money for our navy. he declared. and
as a consequence we get a $1,000, 000
navy for 81 100000. Experts. he held
should direct these expenditures, as
they do in Great Britain How ex-
pert in naval matters some of our
congressman are. Mr. Lewis showed
by the remark of a representative of
a western state. who said. when he
boarded his first ship and looked
down into the hold why, the burned
thing Is hollow"
Navy Not Efficient
Our navy, declared the lecturer is
only 60 per cent efficient instead of
100 per cent. Nineteen out OF our -
submarines are unseaworthy Mr..
Lewis here plainly intimated, though.
that he has confidential information
upon which he practically asserted
that the government has new subma-
rincs superior 10 any in Europe. and
that the only defect in the United
States submarine fleet is its number.
He gave $500 miles as the steaming
radius OF these new undersea vessels.
short OF Men.
The naval force is short by 1900
men. and il viii require five years 10
put our navy into efficient fighting
trim. he declared.
The speaker commended the naval
policy OF Mr.. Wilson ard Mr. Daniels
and urged that all give that policy
their hearty support He admitted.
as did Gen sherman. that War is
hell" but he added some words which
Gen. Sherman also added. but which
are seldom quoted. The fuller quota
ton is: War is hell; but. if war ever
coues. my country will know where
TO lind me"
Urges New ships.
Then followed illustrations showing
the development Of the American navy
from 1876 TO the last 30-ton ship laid
down. An extremely interesting Idea
given oft by Mr.. Lewis was that held
by certain navy men: 90 construct at
once six 6O-ton eships-double the
size and power OF anything now afioat
and so render the fleets OF England
and Germany obsolete. These coun-
tries would not build still larger ships
% render ours useless because a So
ton ship is the largest that can pass
through the Panama canal.