Evening star., 1938-05-02
Pass the Navy Bill.

Weekend news contained a couple of
items worthy Of the attention of the
Senate as it proceeds to a final vote on
the naval bill. One is Assistant Secre-
tary OF State Sayre's address before the
American Society Of International Law;
the other, Berlin dispatch quoting
General Goering's indignation over
Brazil's ban on Nazi activities and up
braiding it as IAN unfriendly act" prob
ably instigated by the United States
1t Is Mr.. Sayres outspoken epitome OF
the world situation and its implications
for America that is the more important
Of the two episodes. when forces of
laWleSsness are abroad" he said, "supine
inaction means, in effect, siding with the
evil against the good. The strongest
encouragement that can be given to
aggressors is to make quite clear they
have nothing to fear from those with
power to Withstand them. The
United States cannot afford to be
cipher at this crucial moment Of the
worlds history. We must be resolute,
and prepared, If necessary, to repel
aggression of the lawless. War is evil
incarnate. But it means recognition of
the fact that some things are worse than
fighting. If fighting be in defense of life
or principles"
ThAcn NJ folJ
not inappropriately from the lips of
man who once was son-in-law of
Woodrow Wilson, even If they now come
from high official of the department
which urged the President gratuitously to
commend the Italo-British pact condon-
ing the Ethiopian conquest and the
Fascist invasion of republican Spain.
The Navy bill has been under debate
in the Senate for many days, following
passage by the House Those amateur
strategists,' with which the country, as
Mr.. Roosevelt recently pointed out, fairly
swarms, have had much to say pro and
con. There were both overstatements
and understatements alike by senatorial
proponents and oppositionists. It is as
fatuous to depict an America defenseless
and endangered if the proposed expan-
sion of the feet is denied as it is to
pretend that with our present naval
resources the Nation is invulnerable
against any enemy combination that
could take the sea-
The incontrovertible fact is that the
building program used by our responsible
naval authorities and recommended by
the Naval Affairs Committees of both
houses represents the minimum of ma
tional security in the face of the most
critical, chaotic and menacing interna-
tional situation since the World War.
The world knows our naval policy springs
from no aggressive or imperialistic
motives. The United States has not
launched capital ship since 1923. The
two battleships authorized and appro-
priated for in 1896 are replacement
vessels, pure and simple. Because the
British evoked the escalator clause of
the 1922 treaty and because Japan re-
fuses to divulge her plans, Congress is
asked to pass the 1888 naval bill, in
creasing construction by 20 per cent over
the treaty" program.
Main bone of Senate contention is
the project to lay down, in addition, if
conditions warrant. three battleships of
$4,000 to $4,000 tons. The authorization
should be given without further delay.
We can make no more tangible contribu-
tion to democracy's menaced cause. It
will betoken to all concerned that If and
when we do go physically to its defense,
we shall go prepared with something
more potent than good intentions, which
never bluffed bully or caused tyranny
to tremble.