The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-01
III
VITAL SAYS CHURCHILL

London. Nov. 27--Great Britain must
retain her naval supremacy regard
less of any arguments. plans or APP
peals that may be made otherwise, Is
the contention of winston Churchill
minister Of munitions and former first
lord OF the admiralty. Speaking on
the subject he. said
Nothing in the world. no sargu-
ments. however specious, no appeals.
however reduetive. must lead you to
abandon that naval supremacy on
which the life of our country depends.
And not only the life OF onr country.
for the British navy has preserved for
the third time in history, the freedom
Of the world against military tyrant--
against Philip the Second. OF Spain.
against Napoleon and against Kaiser
Wilhelm. Without 1t. not only should
we have lost but ALI would have been
lost and the whole world would have
been cast back for centuries.
'I am hopeful and sincere advocate
Of the league OF nations. will do
everything in my power to make such
an instrument a practical and power
full reality. / hope TO see an immen .
reinsurance come to all countries and
peoples from the setting up of such a
league. But the league of nations liz
no substitute for the supremacy of
the British feet This is matter ON
which you have to- stand on your
guard.
Naval supremacy is vital tn us, but
IL we are to be; entrusted with that
tremendous trust for all nations we
must continue in the paths OF sober
virtue which our fathers and grand
fathers followed. Our greatness owes
as much to the principles Of Gladstone
as to the victories of Lord Nelson
From the battle of Trafalgar to the
end OF the nineteenth century. nearly
leo years we were absolutely supreme
st sea. All other nations together
could not have faced us. Did we abuse
enormous advantage. On the contrary
we were the only nation whose ports
were open to the entire world whose
markets were unrestricted by any
tariff, whose coastwse trade was not
held as q national monopoly.
This tremendous victory. stagger-
ing, astounding in It's completeness. IL
not only triumph of our fleets and
armies. it is triumph OF our political
ideals. We have beaten the Germans,
not only out OF their trenches. We
have beaten them out Of their political
system. Our instructions have been
proved to be better than theirs, not
only for peace. but for war. Our
British way of doing things is no.
where more admired than among the
nations we have overthrow. 1t is the
wonder of the world. If the other ma
tions OF the world are content to allow
US to keep the supremacy of the seas
without demur 1t will be because We
hold it as trust for all.
Let us preserve our great and old
renown az first of the free and liberal
nations OF the world. birthplace OF
pariiaments, as the pioneer Of popular
s-ftN rylv 10, EA Fat I've fat,
tain OF enlightened thought and hui
manitarian sentiment
THAT does not mean that we should
give up the fruits of victory. Practi
cally the whole German nation was
guilty of the crime of the aggressive
war conducted by brutal and bes.ial
means, 1t is no use, their pretending
that their late government is solely TO
blame. They were all in it and must
all suffer for It,
Particular individuals against whom
definite breaches Of the laws of war on
land and sea can be proved or who
can be proved to have treated prison
cts with cruelty should be brought TO
trial and punished as criminals. how
ever highly placed. Alsace and Lor-
raine must be completely restored to
France. Poland must be reconstructed
nation with access to the sea and
Germany must give up her Polish prov
nees. None of the German colonies
will ever be restored TO Germany and
none of the conquered parts OF Tur-
key will ever be restored to Turkey.
Preparation must be made by Ger
many, to the utmost limit possible.
for the damage she has done. I cor
daily sympathize with those who say
make them pay the expenses of the
war, II the allies have not claimed
this 1t is for one reason only. 1t Ia not
physically possible for them to do so.
PREPARATION for the damage will soon
Sas into the ti,easshd OF millions . \