Evening star., 1937-04-04
U.S.ABH0RSWAR,
DANIELS ASSERTS
Navy Secretary 20 Years
Ago Says Memory of Great
Conflict Still Pals.

Twenty years ago nert Tuesday
the United States entered the
World War. Josephus Daniels was
the Secretary OF Navy. Today he
tells why he beliepes the United
States is in better position to
keep out of such furnace.
BY the Associated Press.
MEXICO CITY. April 3-Burned
children dread the f1re; 50 do Aneri-
cans abhor the thought OF new war.
That Is the belief of Josephus DAN
iels, now President Franklin D. Roose-
velt's Ambassador to Mexico, who 20
years ago, As Secretary Of the Navy
In Woodrow Wilson's cabinet, was
given the task Of getting the United
States fighting men to wAr-torn Eu.
rope.
"On the surface more causes exist
for war today than in 1914" the "a
year -old newspaper man-diplomat said
In an interview here.
But the great deterrent to war to-
day is that there was war 20 years
ago. All who took part in it do not
wish a second experience. And many
hope that that war will be paid for
before another one is begun"
Neutrality Legislation Hailed.
America is less likely to be drawn
into another war, too, Daniels said,
because Of her neutrality legislation.
Harking back to the years when
his country's nerves tangled constant
ly at belhgerents' interference with
United States shipping, the Ambassa-
dor made this point:
Then our chief insistence was on
complete freedom Of the seas, and the
right OF our own people to travel any
where. Today the feeling Of America
Is that it Is best to surrender right
temporarily rather than risk being
brought into another war"
He saw In the results achieved at
the recent Buenos Aires peace confer
ence IAN object lesson for all nations"
and asserted Europe, II 1t proflted
thereby, might avert struggle which
would almost destroy civiliza-
ton in that part OF the world"
The former Secretary OF the Navy
added:
"It is my sincere belief, and I have
been strengthened In that belief as
the years passed, that II the United
States had taken its seat in the League
Of Nations and used its great tnflu-
ence for peace, many Of the things
that have occurred In these 20 years
many things making for war-would
have been averted. But that Is water
over the dam, Of course.
Hoped For Peace Machine.
again, I am as confident as I
can be Of anything that II President
Wilson had not sincerely believed
the tragedy Of the World War would
bring about the creation OF agencies
to prevent future wars, he never
would have advised Congress to make
the declaration that state OF war
existed between the United States and
imperial Germany.
1T was his supreme faith that
the peoples of the world, seeing
the destruction Of war, would at any
cost organize against its repetition.
That upheld him in his prosecution
OF war"
The envoy to Mexico found his
nation better prepared today to re-
sist, not only foreign warships. but
also foreign propaganda.
Most Of the wartime propaganda
was 30 insidious that we did not
recognize it," he said. But our spirit
Of nationalism has grown since then
in some good ways and in some not
80 good-and that will help us to
resist"
Navy in Better Shape.
As to the Navy, he sees it in far
better shape than upon the outbreak
Of the last war.
Then" Daniels pointed out, I'VE
had few destroyers, few fast cruisers,
few of the type OF craft needed
against Germanys submarines.
Upon the completion Of Congress
naval program, we shall be infinitely
stronger No one ever supposed. in
1917, that the submarine would be
used to attack merchant ships. All
Navy men believed in the dread
naught. The submarine changed that"
While the Nays biggest task in
any future war might be, as in
1917-18, to protect troops transports,
it also has learned through bitter
experience, Daniels said, Of the neces-
sity of mine barrages ito shut the
hornets up in their nest; that is. to
prevent enemy submarines from get
ting out into the ocean"
Better than planes, mines, ships,
guns and soldiers to keep the United
States out of war, however, in the