Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-11-01
Navy Day Was All Right, But
Why Another Day2

While conceding that the public is
surfeited with days and weeks and
drives. there is still room and need
for an observance of Navy day." in
the opinion of most American editors.
Gov Baxter of Maine. by refusing his
cooperation in the Navy Leagues
program, has raised the issue as to
whether or not the propaganda eie-
ment behind Navy day is Inconsistent
with the American policy of armament
Limitation and the recent treaties
governing the size of navies. the
New England governor is warmly
supported in his attitude by some
papers, but generally speaking MS
policy is regarded as "bogey-makins
and as encouraging dangerous in
difference toward national defense.
Insisting that the observation In
reality Is "claptrap." the New YORK
Herald declares that there are few
Americans who do not feel pride, and
a big, lasting pride. in the American
Navy. But 1t Is doubtful whether
many Americans thought there was
any need of or any use of n Navy
day. This country has been surfeit-
ed with days and 1t has been gorged
with drives. The public needs to at
tend to its real business of work and
achievement vastly more than iegiti-
mate causes and sound institutions
need the public to engage in continu-
Gus propaganda pertu.lnances-- &" y
for one thing, tomorrow for some
other and next day for still another.
Gov, Baxter of Maine appraised the
proposal with exemplary down east
rr.h hn h
could not approve the Navy day cele-
bration in his state because this Is
no time for naval expansion and be-
cause there Is no occasion for trying
10 work up any artificial s'ntmen IN
the subject among the American PEG
tedly very interested party. the Nor
folk virginian-Pilot. takes issue with
this view. pointing out that. even
with great naval plants in that
vicinity, the public's knowledge of
them is slight" and expresses Won
terprise has been go long delayed.
Visitors to the navy yards often re-
ceived the impression that they were
being tolerated instead of welcomed.
The Navy is today in peculiar need of
public understanding, and that Is but
another way of saying that the public
is today in peculiar need of becoming
better acquainted with the Navy"
The New York World takes occasion
to indorse fully the views of Gov.
time when q naval limitation agree
ment had been reached with other
powers the reason for Navy day"
was hard to discover. '"The size of
the Navy" says the World, has been
fixed by Congress and special treaties
have been negotiated In regard to 1t.
what can be the object of holiday
he oil q
Navy II 1t is not hoped that the
treaties viii be forgotten and the
limits on naval strength ignored" To
this the New York Times replies that
ITO keep up enlistments, II for no
other reason, it would be well to have
q Navy day every year. In that light
It must always be regarded. Gov.
Baxter is fearful that the American
people wilt'be misunderstood abroad.
No one In public llfe-the President.
Secretary Hughes, or Secretary
DENLY, or any one else-dreams OF
the nehtm 9u s Ths e Conference
treaties have been ratified by the
Senate. The nation's honor 70
the minutest detail. So far we have
gone to the other extreme, reduction
= DRASTIC reduction - in enlisted
If Tor no other reason the observa-
ton Of Navy day was warranted, IN
the opinion Of the Oklahoma City Ok
iahoman, by "the wonderful achieve
ments Of the Navy. not only in the
world war, but in other wars also.
Although the American Navy did not
participate in any big battles during
the world war. 1t helped greatly to
achieve victory. against the Germans.
It made possible safe transportation
OF millions Of American soldiers across
several thousand miles of submarine
infested seas. and 1t was largely re-
sponsible for the, laying Of the 9reat
crippled Germany considerably. After
all, IL IL not entirely gun strength
that 0qHAtE The nnmbAr, morale and
Sc s. , ~ ~ sssssss e ssss