Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-09
BRITISH MUST HOLD
SUPREMACY OF SEA
Will Work for League of Nations
But Will Maintain Dominating
Navy, Churchill Repeats.
By Associated Press TO Every Evening

By Associated Press TO Every Evening
London, Dec. 9-Great Britain will
use all her influence to make the league
of nations powerful reality, but she
cannot regard it as a substitute for her
own navy in any measurable period OF
time, Winston Spencer Churchill, the
minister of munitions, declares in an
article contributed TO the Glasgow Sunday
Post,
In his article which treats of British
naval supremacy in amplihcation Of his
recent address on the subject, Mr. Church
i'll speaks of Great Britain's unique posi-
tion among the nations of the world.
Our safety from invasion, our daily
bread, every means whereby we MAINTAIN
our existence as an independent people;
our unity as an empire or federation of
commonwealths and dependencies-all
these float from hour to hour upon our
naval defense" Mr. Churchill writes
'If that defense is neglected. weaken
ed or fettered, he continues, 1--WE all shall
be in continual danger of subJugation or
starvation. We shall be forced TO live
In continued anxiety. Ii that naval de-
fense were OverpOwered or out-matched
by any other navy or probably by COM
bination of navies we should hold, not
merely our possessions but our lives and
UUtflicS pifiN plt SttiitlCiitt.
Where else III the whole world can such
conditions be paralleled? The right to
demand from all other nations, friends
and foes alike, all recognition of those
facts. We also are entitled to point out
that this naval strength that We require
and which VIC are determined TO preserve,
has never been used In modern history III
selfish and aggressive manner and that H.
has on four separate occasions IN four
separate centuries, against Philip ii, Of
Spain. Louis NV, Napoleon and the
Kaiser, successfully defended civilization
from military tyranny and particularly
preserved the independence of the low
countries.
In this greatest of all wars the British
navy shielded mighty America from all
menace OF serious danger, and when she
resolved To net, it was the British navy
that transported and escorted the greater
portion of her armies to the rescue and
deliverance of France Our record III
hundred years OF unquestiOned naval sway
since Trafalgar proves the sobTlety OF our
policy and the righteousness Of our in
tcntions. Almost the only ports in the
world open freely to the commerce of all
nations we're those Of our islands. lis
possessions and our coaiing stations were
used freely and fully by the ships OF all
nations.
we suppressed III, slave trade
We put down piracy We put it down
--ain the other day Even our coast
.ec traffic, 50 jealouSly guarded by
cry power in the world, was thrown
1sl to all comers on even terms BY
I'll, ancient people in whose keeping |
hc world hes been wisely ready TO en-
trust the freedom of the seas.
We are sincere advocates Of league |
Of nations Every influence Britain can
bring TO bear viii be used 10 make such |
a league a powerful reality This fine |
conception Of President Wilson has been
warmly welcomed by British democ-
racies al over the world We snail strive
to fstnfully and lovally carry it into
being, and keep il in active benefit and
existence. But we must state quite frankly
that a league Of nations cannot be for
a substitute for the British navy In
any period that We car foresee.