New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-30

j. mere snOuld Oe no pa - w
these lines. A party which, whate'ei
its views are on other SUBJECTS SUI!
the upbuilding OF the navy or ie's IL
be impaired in efficiency shouid oe "e
cented az false TO the vital interests OF
the American people. The navy should
he trained in deep water. IN salt water
and i should be trained always with
one end in view, 20 increase It's hghtlhg
efficiency. It is not an educatioha' III
stitution. l. IS Uncle Sans rlgnt arm
~ defence. and that arm IS meant 70
hold the sword and not the pen.
When an effort is made TO turn pat
ttoship into an ambulatory schoolnouse
we spoil the battleship without getting
tho schoolhouse. The minute we iall
10 treat the navy as the one most VIAL
~ important international asset OF me
nation. which il is imperatlvely neces
sarv 10 keep 20 the highest standard OF
efficiency. disregarding all otner mat
tiers in connection Herewith. that very
minute we Law the seeds for the cohul-
lions which result IN submarines tnaI
cannot 20 under water and aeropianes
tina. do not fv. The navy Is by no
means all-sufiicient; but the special
part il plays is of more importance
even than the very important parts 70
be played by other arms.
Il is a prime necessity for any great
nation which expects 70 be taken serl-
ously always 20 correlate 7oilcy ana
armament There never should be
treaty made or a policy announced save
after careful consideration whether our
prepared strength is sufficient 20 make
that treaty respected or that policy
observed. The Monroe Doctrine VIII
never be one particle stronger than the
navy. Our hold on the Canal our
power of protecting our own citizens
abroad and defending our own coasts
all these depend upon other considera,
tons also; but among the various vital
factors. none of which can be neglected,
the navy stands foremost.
The navy stands foremost But TO
rely only on the navy would be as
foolish as in a battle 10 rely only upon
infantry or only upon artillery or only
upon trench digging. Back OF the navy
must stand the regular army; and back
OF the regular army must stand the
trained strength OF the nation.
Regular Army Indispensable.
The regular army is indispensable.
Here again. gentlemen, let me ask you
to do your part in seeing that our peo-
ple understand the utter folly of en-
barking on a policy unless we have the
means TO enforce that policy. A treaty
has recently been proposed by the
governmental authorities in Washington.
under which we would guarantee the
territorial integrity of all the South
American republics. with, az a quid
pro quo. the. assurance Of these re-
J. 4grs .lrsva .tgar .grff nd
Ecuador. for instance, that they vii
guarantee our territorial integrity.
Put this into terms OF fact. II
the treaty does not mean what II pur-
ports TO mean il Is insincere and
worse. II ~ does mean what II pur-
ports 20 mean. then we are to guar
antee that we will 90 10 war 10 de-
fend. say. Terra del Fuego. on behalf
Of somebody else. Yet the upholdcrs
Of this proposal in the same breath
announce that We are not 10 go TO
war for our own rights or our own
citizens. II is possible to defend
either proposition with sincerity al
though not with wisdom. but il rs
not possible 10 defend both PROPOSE.
tions with either sincerity or wisdom.
Well-meaning people propose we
shall enter into an international
League TO Enforce Peace, by making
treaties under which we would pledge
ourselves. If, for instance. Belgium
were invaded. 10 back Belgium in war
by the two or three million men with
out whom our unsupported backing
would amount 20 little. Before going
into any more grandiose promises let
Us keep the moderate promises we
made III tho Hague conventions, and.
before we promise action on behalf
Of others which might necessitate an
army % two or three million men be-
ing sent abroad TO fight in quarrel
in which interest was purely altruis-
tic. let US ponder the fact that IN
order TO send an army after a Mexi-
can bandit. although this army was
operating In company with the forces
Of the de facto government OF Mex
leo. We had to strip our country Of
regular soldiers until we did not have
enough left TO patrol the border.
The Mexican nffalr by the way Of