Abbeville progress., 1921-01-08

ley OF Missouri AT that Unr made the
proposal the subject oS IN approving
resolution i'm the CONGRESS- of the
/ United States. The resolution how
ever, was NOT adopted
There have been some peculiar S't--
ge>ttuuS advanced as - navy uutai"-
programs II has been asked. "NiN is
/ il not rs well for the nations OF The
world to br equally weak 9S equally
strong in armamcntf' Mr.. Churchiil's
/ plan contemplated simply mo battle
/ ship building program for all nations
| for one year. ct course If the suG-e'
| ton had been adopted the government
would have saved some money for the
time being, but the question was wheth-
er there could be any assurance that
these nations would not spend in sec
I ond year twice the saving of one year
Is This a Foolish Suggestion?
SO far as the matter Of lis being
just as we'll for the nations 10 be
equally weak aS equally strong is CON
cerned. the only reason for the build
ing of baillcships by any one country
Is that il may keep pace in naval con
struction with the other powers. No
one country wants another country 10
get ahead of IT lest If war should come
annihiatiOn for the weaker sea power
should come with it,.
SO it has been suggested. perhaps
idly, but nevertheless with enough
ScrioU~neSS to cause some reelection.
that all the nations should 20 back
To the wooden ships ana >mooth-borr
guns which cost 80 little. If no cOun-
try had anything but ships of oak and
cannon of ordinary iron. all fleets. save
OF course for a prcponderance of num-
brrS in some cases. would be equal
when meeting broadSide to broadSide
II has been asked why equal weakness
wouldn't serve the same uuruo~p aS
equal strength. The battle would go.
SO the argument runs as nearly always
it must 20 if luck be eliminated. to the
more skillful beIligerent.
Now all this may seem utterly fool
iSh, and probably il is So, for no nation
is likely to 20 back To the days of the .
Constitutions, the TemeraireS and the
Victories, hut in a way the proposal
points out the position which some .
men take on the whole disarmament .
question.
An Oldtme frigate, like the COnSti-
tuition. did not cost more than 100000 .
or 100000. \ modern batteShip costs
anywhere from $l0,OOO,OOO to $4,000
900.
America Should Honor This Hero.
The United States government on
occasion has given marks Of its official
regard TO officials of other countries.
1t was only the other day that Gen
erai Neville the great French soldier,
was decorated with the Distinguished
Service medal of the United States.
Others have likewise been hOnOred.
There are many men in minor places
in life who have done heroic deeds
which have gone unrecoguiZed. If
all the gallant things that were done
in the last war were known and prop
erly rewarded. there would not tie
Distinguished Service medals nor Dis
tinguished Service crosses enough to
go around. Captains. lieutenants and
privates performed great individual
deeds ON the battlefelds which were
unseen. These men had nothing but
their own satisfaction of service well
done for reward. 4
The Medal Of Honor. which Is the
highest decoration the United States
government gives, can be given only
TO those who have done SON ething be-
yOnd the call of duty and which if
they had not done would not submit
them to criticism. The Medal of Honor
can be given. however, only for an act -
that has been atteSted by several wit
neSSes. So it is that men who have
done things when witnesses were not
present or when witnesses did not
fully realize all that was being done, |
have deserved the medal but never
have received il.
Lieutenant Craven's Gallant Deed.
A newspaper man who is close
friend has told me the story of Lieu
enant Craven of the British naval
'eserve who performed most glorious
Iced In the StOrm-Swept waters off
ireland when the destroyer of which |
le was in command. the Mounsey. WIS |
part of convoy which had in charge
large number of ships carrying
American troops and civilians. /
My newspaper friend was on one OF 1
he vessels. The storm was SO ter =
'ific that everything loose on all ships
Iad been carried away. Nobody cX- =
,ected to see the land. The vessels r
we're almost helpless in the driving &c
paS. All at once one of The trans D
,orts. the OtF0ntD. ran on Il rock The -
waves were beating on her grindingly, y"
md il seemed virtually impossible that +
my help could reach her. Lieutenant "
raven. in command of the MounSey
With the spirit of old "Tll-try-Sir Nil
er." made up his mind to do what I've a
ould Four times he brought his le-
troypr alongside tho OtrOntO. only 10
ave her grind away again. Once U,
lOre he came alongside 4 wave -
truck the Otrontu and she foulrd
With the MnunSey. earring u great hole
n the stern If the destroyer. Tie
ailors instantly went over the side
With canvas to stop the inru~h of the
yaterS.
Lieutenant Craven in TIN; awful sea
unlIy managed 20 nola his dcS'royr W
lcugsid" the transport md rr-cucd lr
On American soldiers who jumped 70 II