Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-02-09
LARGER NAVY IS
URGED BY LEWIS
FIELD SECRETARY OF LEAGUE
ADVOCATING MORE WAR
SHIPS. TALKS TO CLUB.
sas~s Important Part Which Beats
Have Played in the Worid's His
tory-AdVoea;es Safety First

safety first. Uaited States needs
IS frst class battIeships and torpedo
boafs and submarines in proportion.
We have az present only 81. old and
ueN
mus spoke William II Lewis. field
secretary OF the Navy League OF the
ralted states. before a Joint luncheon
o. the Rotary clubs OF the tri-cities AZ
the Rock Island club this noon. Ap-
p-Oxlmateiy I55 members were pres
ent.
NO better subject could be selected
70 discuss" said Mr.. Lewis. He ex-
p.a.usd that the Navy club is not a
political or religious organization. nor
does 10 stand for agitation or miIita--
ism The league was founded ave
years ago 20 study national problems
sud to educate the people Horace Por-
Ter. FIRST delegate 20 the first Hague
meeting. .g ir5 president. lie stated
that 500 UU0l0QE vas spent annually
f1- national defense. and set not one
on % 1000 knows how this money Is
sre1- and furthermore most OF them
f1 rn+ care
rrle var % tS1- with England was
b-a4rr- ON by our policy OF peace"
le said England biocsaded our
cdas. from Washington TO Maine.
h4rIad our pita1 and cap
f.-at Detroit With an ade-
a1ar- navy o. - ships. We could
have fo-ced cur demands and avoided
f.e var Ora 1861. 90 We had had an
adequate navy. the civil var would not
eoat1 occurred both money and arms
from Europe and laughed q our so
called blockade. But when the block
ado 90 fre north became effective with
our improved navy. Go vas the begin
r.1e OF the end shortly after the
civil var Napoleon III placed Max
nEI.1a iu trr presidential chair IN
Mexico. Die dared co. DO this because
Ee knew 90 our we1E navy In 1885
rIe1 orr reserves were Inundated In
cuba. spain had In mind our weak
navy. o. 90 would never attempted
'ne war. Our fleet showed It's efec-
r.Feress iu tine Ve1ezueia incident
with Germany and England.
Prominent Member
The Navy club has among rs mem
aerslip such men as Admiral Dewey
and eE-Prrsident Roosevelt and Taft
These capable far-seciuE citizens
and others have made a complete
study % couditiuas @ our Guprcparcd-
ness During nv "trip through Europe
Iaft year I found very few military
men who had much use FOR the Mon
zoe doctrine. which e. practically a I
scrap % paper. with nothing % back u 1
1p. Others win say that this country /
- practically an island and Isolated. .
another argument for a larger navy /
Others viii say the ocean is between I
1s and Europe. \ prominent Ger
nan general g. quoted as saying.
Heretofore Ne passed under the guns
1f England az Gibraltar. now VIC viii .
pass under the American guns az
Panama The opening % this canal .
VII throw Us IN contact with Europe. 4
Others will say: Battleships are moth
lag but n pile OF junk. that the coming
aavies VII be composed Of subma-
zines. Figures show that out OF IOi
ships lost In the present war. only 10
we're sunk by submarines. 4 rear
ldmdraI OF the United States navy Is
quoted as tsstifyfnE that FIVE years
would be required 10 put our navy IN
,h1ps for n fight. Out OF 20 subma-
-ines on the Pacific coast. 10 are not
it Tor use
New Interest
More interest Is being manifested
n the subject now. because OF the
European war. the newspapers are as
'istiuE uobIy IN laying the bare facts
before the people George Washing
.0n Is quoted as saying. The best way
10 be prepared for peace = to be pre-
'arsd' Patrick Henry said. I have
luiy one lamp TO guide my footsteps
md that Is the light OF experience
The contingent known as the pacifists
IRE working toward the same end as
he navy club. but their beliefs are
different Just because We
ay down our arms - no sign that the
'ihers viii leave US alone. Just be-
.auss I leave the locks of my doors
md iatches OF my windows. f. no sign {
hat a burglar Will be ashamed TO en-
er my home Mr.. Lewis then re-
erred briefly 20 history. pointing out
'riedy Just what an immense part OF
ach var the navy played After the
esoiutiou the senator's voted TO dis
ortiuus our navy The o. $. immed-