The farmer and mechanic., 1915-10-19
(By III. +. G. BRYANT)
Washington Staff COrreSDOnC1en,

ol secretary McAdoo, at indianapolis, |
Wednesday before business men and
commercial bodies is interpreted to
mean that the fight for the Ship pur-
chase urged by the Washington ad-
miniStration will be resumed at the
next session of Congress.
Mr.. McAdoo thinks that Congress
should provide a well balanced |
navy, with it's compliment of mer-
chant marine naval auxiliaries."
IL believe there is no citizen how
ever partisan he may be, or whatever |
his views may be about a merchant |
marine, who will not agree that the
government should provide battle
ships and other fighting units Of the
navy" said Mr.. McAdoo. Certainly
we cannot afford to rely on private
capital to create these naval auxil-
jaries. We cannot sleep any longer;
ave must prepare.
Containing he said:
European War Shows Need.
''rhe terrible events of the past year
in Europe, and the acute situations
which have arisen in our foreign rela-
tions, have brought forcibly to the
front the necessity for greater naval
ana military preparedness than our
people have heretofore believed to be
necessary for the national safety. Our
splendid isolation upon which we
have relied so much in the past as
traliZed in great measures by the de-
velopments of modern science. Wire
less telegraphy and wireless tele-
phony, aerOplanes, fast steamships,
powerful battlcships, long-range guns,
high explosives, and submarines
which can cross the Atlantic and
Pacific, have awakened us to a reali-
xation of the fact that the great ocean
barriers have largely disappeared,
and that we may in time become the
object of attack by hostile powers. We
have been forced to consider the new
measures which are essential to put
the country upon basis of greater Sc
curity. We must not approach this
subject in hysterical fashion; We must
not take counsel Of fear but counsel
of prudence, reason and intelligence.
We are SO fortunately placed that we
do not have TO adopt militaristic
policy, as that term is commonly un-
derstood. Our geographical position
makes it unnecessary for us to main
tain such formidable military estab-
lishments as those of the great powers
Of Europe. The most indispensable
factor in any sensible plan Of national
defense is a powerful navy, capable OF
striking with 'effect-both Extensively
and defensively-supplied with essen
tial naval auxiliaries in the form OF
an American merchant marine and
manned by American seamen who are
ready and willing to fight for the Stars
and Stripes against any enemy on the
face of the earth.
Naval Auxiliary Defined.
What is a naval auxiliary? 1t is {
fleet Of merchant vessels SO construct
ed that they may render essentla
service and assistance to our battle
ships and cruisers in time Of war ant
serve the needs of our commerce IL
time of peace. A navy, no matte
how strong in battleships, cruisers
torpedo boats and submarines is onl.
partially equipped without mer
chant marine auxiliary. 1t is fact
and every naval expert will so testify
that a merchant marine naval auxil
iary is Just as essential to the effec
tiveness of the navy considered as
complete fighting machine, as TN
guns upon the decks Of our battle
ships and the seamen upon who's
skill and valor the effectiveness Q
those guns depends. Why is this so
Because battleshipS and cruisers an
torpedo boats and submarines nave I
be furnished at sea with coal, prov
sons and supplies of all kinds. f1gh'
ing vessels cannot carry sufficient SUP
plies to remain long from their nom
bases, and they must have these e.
Sential auxiliaries in order TO enabl
them to stay at sea and engage IN el
fective offensive and defensive opera
tions away from their home ports.
Unprcpared in 1898.
we cannot, with safety rely upo
our ability to purchase or chartt
suitable naval auxiliaries when cris
appears. The very essence Of pre-
paredneSs for the navy, is to haN
these vessels of suitable types an
construction where we can put o.
hands on them quickly. To prove tn
need only to tell you what happene
when war with Spain broke out
1898. We had no naval auXllIar1es-
no army transports. We were ute
iy unprepared. We had to go into tt
market and buy Immediately any al
every kind of boat that could
hastily adapted to our purposes, an
of course, we paid fabulous prices
them. When a man, or governmeI