The Washington herald., 1919-04-06
POWERFUL navy
NEED Of NATION,
.LAWMAKER SAYS
Patrick Kelley, Michigan
Congressman, Declares
For u. S. Sea Power.

The United States must have a pow
erful navy for many years to come,
regardless of the outcome of the
Peace Conference.
If there is no limitation of arma-
ments by International agreement
! this country should have a naval
force equal to that maintained by any
other nation in the world.
The safety and national interests OF
America demand that the government
adopt a naval policy along the fore
going lines, Representative Patrick
Fl. Kelley, of Michigan, one of the
most influential Republican members
OF the Naval Affairs Committee, said
in an interview yesterday.
Mr.. Kelley also will strongly sup
port a policy of universal military
training. A comparatively small
standing army will be needed, he be-
llieves.
with an invincible navy on the out
side, an emergency army ready for &C
ton on the inside, and a trained re-
serve force always at call. our peace
and happiness will be assured for all
time" said Mr.. Kelley. mo other
nation will dare touch U.S."
Nations Must Protect Selves.
The suggestion from various
quarters that the German warships
be sunk was characterized as
ridiculous.
whatever may be done in the
way of settling international dis
putes by arbitration. or whatever
may be done to prevent wars
through a medium of international
agreement" the Michigan Con-
gressman pointed out. 'the whole
matter is more or less in its in
fancy. Any such plan must be
tried out before it can be accepted
at its face value.
The league of nations, if it is
consumated, cannot spring into
world confidence overnight. 1t
must grow to a place of confidence
and respect in the world. In the
meantime every great nation with
interests like ours, must adequate
ly protect itself.
IF the league of nations within
fifty years should be powerful
enough and gain the confidence OF
the world to a sufficient extent to
do what its most sanguine friends
hop for 1t. that would be great
progress. Our nation in the mean
time could not afford to throw
away its means of defense.
The natural defenses Of America
are so pre-eminently naval that il
would seem as though reasonable
development along that line would
be the safest and wisest course for
the United States to pursue. We
can stop naval expansion any time
the world looks safe. 1t does not
look safe now. 4 fire started in
any corner of the world is likely
under present conditions. to spread
anywhere.
Therefore. we should reasonably
and logically expand on the sea un.
til We feel perfectly safe. That
would be the simplest and cheapest
form of protection we could acquire
There would be no danger of de-
veloping a military spirit among our
people by expanding our navy"
The passage by the House OF the
Administrations new thTee-yeaI
plans, he declared. had served it's
purpose in warning other nations
what America. felt inclined to dc
in the event that a policy of reduc.
tion of araments could not be
agreed upon. He continued:
THE second three-year rogram will
come up anew and under different
circumstances. because the peac,
treaty undoubtedly will have beer
signed before Congress is convened
We will know then substantially what
international arrangements likely arc
to be made for naval development.
Approves Military Trimming.
Il don't look for any great reduc.
tions in armament Immediately ~
during the next three years. It is
reasonable to want demonstrated
thing. 1t will take time to demon
strate the value of the league of ma
tions."
Universal military training. in the
REPRESENTATIVES. judgment. would be
highly beneficial to the nation from
civic as well as a military stand
point. He said:
Boy reaching IS or 10 years OF
age should be sent into camp for
six months. Their thoughts would
be attuned all the while to the ma
tion's interests. Many of our young
men nowadays never think about
the nation. They take it as a mat
ter of course; don't consider it's cost
or its great value to them.
Six months of intensive training
will be a splendid thing. Under
such a scheme, we will need only a
small standing army. just adequate
to take care of our domestic and
insular needs from time to time"
Huns Must Paw Pensions.