New-York tribune., 1918-12-10
League of Nations
Can't Replace Navy,
Asserts Churchill
Great Britain Will Strive
Loyalty for Plan, but
Will Not Sacrifice the Sea
Defence, Says Minister

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 sub
stitute for her own navy in any meas
urable period of time, Winston Spen-
GER Churchill, the Minister of Muni-
tions, declares in an article contrib
uted to the Glasgow Sunday Post"
In his arice, which treats of Brit
lsh naval supremacy in amplfication
Of his recent address on the subject
Mr.. Churchill speaks of Great Brit
ANS unique position among the ma
tions of the world.
Our safety from invasion, our daily
bread every means whereby we main
tain our existence as an independent
people. our unity as an empire or fed
Grafton Of commonwealths and depen-
dencies--al these float from hour to
hour upon our naval defence" Mr.
Churchill writes
'If that defence is neglected weak
oned or fettered" he continues, 1--WE
all shall be in continual danger of
subjugation or starvation. We should
be forced to live in continued anxiety.
Would Menace Liberty.
"lf that naval defence were over
powered or out-matched by any other
navy or probably by a combination of
navies we should hold not merely our
possessions but our lives and liber-
ties only on sufferance.
"Where else in the whole world can
such conditions be paralleled? We
have the right to demand from all
other nations, friends and foes alike
full recognition of those facts. We
are also entitled to point out that this
naval strength that we require and
which we are determined to preserve
has never been used in modern his
tory in a selfish and aggressive man
ner, and that it has on four separat
occasions in four separate centuries
against Philip II of Spain, Louis XIV
Napoleon and the Kaiser, successfully
defended civilization from military
tyranny, and particularly preserved
the independence of the Low Coun-
tries.
an this greatest of all wars the
British navy shielded mighty America
from all menace of serious danger
and when she resolved to act it was
the British navy that transported and
escorted the greater proportion of her
armies to the rescue and deliveranca
of France.
Holds Recnrd TS Cuorar+oo
"Our record in hundred years of
unquestioned naval sway since Trafal
gar proves the sobriety of our policy
and the Righteousness of our inten-
tions. Almost the only ports in the
world open freely to the commerce of
all nations were those of our islands
It's possessions and our coaling sta
tlons were used freely and fully by
the ships of all nations.
We suppressed the slave trade. We
put down piracy. We put it down
again the other day. Even our cost
wise traffic, so jealously guarded by
every power in the world, was thrown
open to all comers on even terms by
that ancient people in whose keepine
the world has been wisely ready ia
lntrust the freedom of the seas.
I'VE are sincere advocates of q
League of nations. Every influence
Britain can bring to bear will be used
TO make such league a powerful
reality This fine conception of Presi-
dent Wilson has been warmly vel
coined by British democracies all over
the world. We shall strive faithfully
and loyalty to carry it into being and
keep it in active benefit and existence
But we must state quite frankly that
a league of nations cannot be for us q
substitute for the British navy in any
period that we can foresee"