The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-10-26
Navy Day


eored q series of educational address,
es on the need for an adequate navy
to defend our Atlantic and Pacific
shores. The local observances will
DO concluded Saturday when the boy
scouts make their annual pilgrimage
to the log cabin on the capitol grounds
which once was the Badlands home
Of the Cowboy President, Theodore
Roosevelt, likewise known as "the
father Of the modern American navy"
It is perhaps coincidence that the
United States fleet this week engaged
Ia maneuvers at Panama, fighting a
problematic enemy and testing its
abilities for quick transit from the
Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.
Tho maneuvers had timely signi-
6icance in the nations observance Of
Navy Day. They bring home to the
American family the fact that the
navy exists and is prepared to con-
centrate its strength on either Of the
nations shores within two days. With
international troubles brewing both
In the Orient and In Europe 1t is
somehow especially comforting these
days to become aware Of the fleet.
Navy Days purpose Is merely to
point out the need for Z modern Amer
dcan navy Of adequate strength to in
sure safety against invasion. With
that purpose. all but tho most violent
pacifists are In accord.
But much unfair and unjust criti-
cism recently has been hurled at the
avowed policy Of the federal govern
ment to establish and maintain m
adequate merchant marine. The mis-
understanding here lies In failure to
see that the merchant marine Is. In
fact, an important and indispensable
auxiliary to tho navy.
The Navy cannot operate without
the use OF merchant ships to keep
them provided with fuel and other
supplies. This nation. for the most
part consisting Of one geographically
united territory, with the exception Of
. few outlying possessions, has never
deemed 1t necessary to build large
naval Notifications and supply bases
et various strategical points on the
seven seas, such g some OF the for
elgn nations have done. Therefore.
should the occasion arise where our
Navy must operate thousands Of miles
from any home base, It would be alb
eolutely necessary that = large and
fast flotilla Of merchant ships act IS
. floating naval base.
Obviously. We could not depend up
on any foreign merchant marine to do
this for ". Il they were neutral
nation they could not do 50 and still
maintain their neutrality, while even
were they one Of our allies their own
need to provide for their own Army
and Navy would prevent this.
Back in 1907 when President Theo-
dore Roosevelt sent the u. Q. Navy In
. Good VIII" tour around the world,
this mighty fleet Of fighting ships
was placed Ia the embarrassing posi-
tion Of having to depend almost en-.
ttrely upon foreign ships for fuel and
supplies.
Ten yeart later, when we entered
the World War. we again had to call
upon foreign merchant ships both to
service our Navy and to transport ouz
troops 10 the western front. This Wa
p far more serious affair than that
Of 1907.
However. out Of that tragic expert
ence Of war this nation learned q
powerful object lesson: that never
again, whether In times Of Peace o.
War, can the United States afford tc
let It's merchant marine sink to o.
inadequate level.