The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-05
Senator Lonergan Advocates
 Adequate National Defense
Conn. Distinguished Citi- zen Addresses Naval Stu-
 dents at Annapolis

Addressing the students of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Sunday, United States Senator Augustine Lonergan of Connecticut stated that in his opinion the present body of stu dents will play mo-S important part in national affairs than any group graduates in years. Senator Lonergan praised the power and prestige of the United States navy and urged an adequate national defense. Nationwide publicity was given the senator's speech, which the Democrat reprints in full. It reads:
 I am grateful for this oppor- tunity to visit the United States Naval Academy, and am inspired by the presence here today of so many young men who, sincerely believe, are destined to play a far more important part in Na- tional Affairs than any group of students that has been graduated from this Academy in several decades.
 AdmireS Surroundings
 It has been my pleasure to visit the Academy on numerous occasions in the past twenty years, but I never have felt so much at home, and so close in friendship to officers and students as I have in the past few years. Your beautiful buildings and grounds, the invigorating and healthful saltwater and air, and an increasing number of oppor- tunities to drive over here from my official duties in Washington have invited me into increasingly closer touch with your activities and Surroundings-so much so that I have even extended my self to spend part of my summer vacations on the nearby shores of Chesapeake Bay.
 My good friend, Senator Walsh, of Massachusetts, by virtue of his special interest in Naval Affairs, and his service as chairman of the Senate Naval Affairs Con- mittee, has further inspired my interest in your activities here, and I always welcome an invita- tion to accompany him on his numerous official and friendly visits to the Academy.
 And always, when I leave An- napolis, I carry away with me a new feeling of patriotism, of love of country, and an increased de- votion to the public service.
 Such an uplifting feeling is cer- tain to result from every visit with you here.
 Inspiration
 But more profound inspira- tion comes today because I am looking into the faces of young men who are certain to carry the burden of special and important responsibilities during the on- coming years of our Navy. What ever may have been done by our great Naval men of the past is likely to be overshadoWed by what those of the future are likely to be called upon to do. Among those of you before me today are some, no doubt, who are to make an ln- delible record upon the pages Of history. And I do not refer to the glory of war, but to the re- responsibilities of a National De- fense program whose objective is to preserve peace for the people of our country, by providing them with an adequate defense against war.
 Early last autumn, because of increasing tension in world af- fairs, it became known that Pres ident Roosevelt was considering the recommendation to Congress of increased appropriations for naval construction. Therefore, when, on January 28, this year, tx resident sent to Congress a specIal message calling for in- creases in appropriations for na- tional defense, it did not cause surprise.
 Peace Preferred
 Nevertheless, the Presidents message, added to current devel- opments in other countries, preci- pitated a sharp discussion in both houses of Congress. That discus sion is continuing, and to those of us who are in Congress, there at taches a special significance to
 
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