Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-11-29
Il Strong May, a Sr0ngPeaCe.

II O1| ObS ~ % ~ " D'' O'' =
TIME country warmly indorses Secretary
Daniels seasonable appeal that Con-
l. gress abate no jot of its earnestness
for the navy's continued upbuilding. What
ever peace plans the forthcoming conference
at Versailles may adopt, it is certain that the
United States and Great Britain must assume
a major part of the responsibility of preserv-
ing world order and enforcing international
DEGREES by means of maritime supremacy.
A league of nations powerless to execute
its law and will would be dismal farce. Its
power can be entrusted most safely and most
effectively to naval instrumentalities. for it
is a common teaching of history that while
the possession Of great armies will dispose
nation to war, a great navy is of itself no
such temptation. A navy indeed is primarily
an instrument of defense and control, unless
it be employed in conjunction with vast
land armament. This was demonstrated in
the genesis of the recent war. England, with
an incomparably strong navy, stood for peace,
and I'D to the brink of the catastrophe sought
to settle the issues by other means than force.
Germany, with inferior sea strength but with
an army OF forty years making, took the ag-
gessor's ruthless way-and yielded at last to
an exercise of international power which was
made possible largely by British and Ameri-
can command Of the seas. If, then, we are
to play an equal an worthy part in future
plans for the maintenance Of peace and JUS
tice, we must have navy of frst-rank
strength, capable not only of guarding our
own rights against any conceivable danger
but also of performing our full duty to the
common interests of civilization.
This calls for unfagging continuance Of the
navy development program designed in 1916
and supplemented upon our entrance into
the war. In the former year Congress, to
quote Secretary Daniels, took a radical and
forward step. 1t. abandoned the plan Of a
yearly authorization Of new ships and adopt
ed three-year building program" The
naval appropriation was increased from
yearly average OF on hundred and forty-fve
million dollars to approximately three hun
dred and thirteen million. This was long
stride, in comparison with previous efforts.
In 1914, at the outbreak of the war, the ton
mage Of the worlds principal navies was as
follows: Great Britain, 2,15S,250; Ger
many, 51,71S; the United States, 744,35S;
France, Cos, 74S: Japan, SIS, $40; Italy, 1885,
$50; Russia, 27O,S61; Austria-Hungary, 221,-
526 While in point of tonnage our navy
held third place in 1914, in some other i'm
portant respects it was not that high. Ger
tainly, it was far from equal to the RESPONSE
biIities which world conditions suddenly
thrust forward; and it was not until 1916
that the new and far-reaching construction
program was adopted. That program was
|
tered the war, and it is still unfinished. That
it should be pressed promptly to COM
pletion and augmented as the lessons
of the war dictate, is so obviously the
right course that we can hardly imagine Con-
gress taking contrary one.
Americas earnest hope, like that of right
eous nations the rorld around, is that peace
henceforth may be perpetual, and her in
fIuence will be exerted for it's preservation.
But we dare not steer by hope alone, ignor-
ing the grim possibilities of wind and wave.
Did we not do our utmost to keep clear of
the storm that broke in 1914? And did not
the worlds forces OF moral suasion do their
utmost to prevent that terrible tempest?
Hereafter. while hoping for the best, let us
prepare FOR whatever may come-not in a
spirit Of beIIigerency or distrust but as a sim
pie duty TO the land we love and to the prin-
ciples of freedom and justice that we wish to
see prevail throughout the earth Let US
build a great navy as the first arm of our
own defense and as the readiest instrument
OF cooperation for the maintenance Of just
peace.
Our own unofficial opinion is that If the