South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-23
Other Editors Than Ours
CONGRESS SHOULD ADOPT TILE NEW NAVAL
PROGRAM.
(ChicagO HCrald-ExamincrO

Rear Admiral Badger head of the executive com
mtee of tho naval general board. has asked congress
TO authorize sX-year naval program which will pro-
vide for the United States the efficient navy
the world by 1925.
The program for the first three years of naval con
struction will cost about 100000 600.
Congress should approve the program If the pres
ent democratic congress does not approve duty
Will devove upon the republican congress to carry out
the of the naval general board and that
will be imperative.
The present costing every day at present $50
100000. The proposed naval program provide al
adequate navy the United involves cost
S2O0.OOOOOo year-less than three days the
war at present
If the United states had possessed two years ago
navy of the adequacy which the Hearst newspapers
have necessarily urged many years past
certain that Germany would not have dared to chal-
lenEe this by renewing its unrestricted.
derous submarine warfare. The challenge of Germany
to our weakness not strength.
our future should bo dictated 10y mistakes
i'm the past 10y studyng the realities instead of follow
Ing the illusions of The present and by the obvious
necessities of this governme emit which is building
merchant ships more than twice as fast other
nation.
with the frieudest feelings toward Great Britain.
md with fun appreciation OF the fact that her mighty
navy has protected Eer successful attack for
years every American realize that our future
needs must be gagged by the position which the
United States, under the providence Of God, has at
tanned.
The measure Of what the United states needs should
the future he limited 10y such Great
Britain may ind ii wise 10 adopt for herself
The CniteJ long since attained TO years o..
discretion 1t is longer "a youthful nation taking
lessons some respects from those older itself
the ways nature this comparatively youthful
nation has by natural growth and energy surpassed
an progenitors
There many Tories in this country are
stI living past Is Il manifest destiny that
"a rapidly growing nation. having than two hun
dred thousand million dollars of wealth more thaa
sixty billions annual gross income and than one
hundred million home people should in the OF
the dimensions of its national program
any nation having half its wealth HAT
its home population
Why should the development of that national
gram excite comment surprise
To plan the future scale consistent with
needs and importance involves no lack OF friend
illness respect even reverence for any mother
country"
In three years the United states viii have foreign
commerce equal 10 surprising that of other
country and there will always be. there always hav
been essential interests subject the sole decision
OF the United States because its welfare and Sc
curity its decisions.
We earnestly believe in arbitration erventy 10 O.
peace and heartily in favor OF any League OF
Nations maintain peace that does prevent the
United states from safeguarding by its
the purely American doctrines OF Independence and
self-reliance which have been obstnatey and SO
successfully maintained hundred and forty-tyO