The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-02-07
Lines Of Public Opinion AS
Congress Battles over Navy

While Congress battles over the Is
cruiser construction program for the
navy, newspaper comment reflects
views throughout the country quite
as conflicting and as positive as those
voiced at the Capitol by advocates
and opponents of larger navy.
! Special attention has been attracted
by the position of Senator Borah, who
opposes appropriations for new ships
pending a more definite understand
ing among nations as to the freedom
of the seas.
"Until sea law is restated so as to
guarantee the rights of the United
States either as belligerent or as
neutral" says the Washington Star
0nd.) of Senator Borah's attitude,
elementary common sense requires
that our navy be kept powerful
enough to safeguard them. The time
to emasculate the American fleet will
come when our status on the high
seas is so definitely fixed by interna-
tional law that cold steel will never
have to be invoked to protect it." OBJ
serving general debate on a naval
race with England, the Star continues
"Would not the genuine commence
ment of a 15-cruiser building pro-
gram, even if later it had to be aban-
doned, be an object lesson bound to
command British respect? Would it
not incline London in the direction of
that freedom of the seas which SEN
ator Borah justly espouses?
"Borah's plain speaking about the
necessity of our outbuilding England,
if we cannot settle the sea-law ISSUE"
in the opinion of the New York Even
ing Post (Ind.), Showed the sincerity
of his belief in adequate armament,
but the Is cruisers are merely catch
ing up with our minimum needs. We
should have them as quickly as they
can be built. Then we should go on
and discuss the freedom of the
seas"
*
With the additional cruisers, accord
ing to the Providence Bulletin Ind. },
"the United States will have not only
an adequate guarantee of defense on
the high seas, but will also be in an
improved position when the next sug-
gestion is made for another confer
ence on the limitation of naval arma-
ments." Maintaining that progress
and prosperity for nations are worth
while only when founded on strength
and enduring qualities" the Charlotte
News (Dem.) remarks as to the pro-
lection offered by the Kellogg peace
pact that experience teaches that ma
tions, like men, often stray from the
paths of peace and good will"
In arguing for the existing need,
the Chicago Daily Tribune (Rep.),
says: "The United States is commit
ted to nearly every policy which is
dangerous for an unprotected country.
Such attempts require navy strong
enough to command respect. 1t is not
the navy which is provocative. 1t is
the peaceable activity which enters
the dangerously competitive field"
The Manchester Union (Ind. Rep),
holds that "the proposed cruisers are
needed on the score of reasonable
preparation for the national defense,
and that view has taken a firm hold
on the public mind"
Agreement that until there is a
better understanding regarding the
rights of nations upon the seas, the
United States should not let it's naval
power decay" is indicated by the San
Bernardino Sun (Rep.), and the Wat
erloo Tribune (Ind.) states that 'our
pacifists are the only people IN the
world who think war is done for,
with the added view: "They would
have us impotent. Childlike faith!'
On the other hand the Charleston
Evening Post (Ind Dem.) contends:
at should not be necessary either to
lay down the keels or even 10 author
ize the designing of cruisers in order
to impress the British with our detec-
mination to match them in maritime
strength. If we need the cruisers we
ought to build them and if we do not
need them we ought not to consider
even designing them"
"Desultory and rather bombastic
debate" on the bill is seen by the Ro-
anoke World-News (Ind. Dem.), with,
however, the statements that it was
illuminated by Senator Borah's ad-
dress" and that with chan acteristic
independence he announced his oppo-
sition to the plan of the Coolidge adj
ministration to spend more than a
quarter of billion of dollars on addi-
tional war vessels, until further eff
forts had been made to obtain inter
national agreements that would make