Evening star., 1941-10-28

Those Who Oppose Us
Foce Attack, He Warns
In Radio Forum ToIk
Admiral Harold r. Stark, chief Of
naval operations, was heard in 8
Navy Day address on United W.
Stand" last night in the National
Radio Forum. The speech was made
from Chicago at Navy Day dinner
and was heard over q national hook
up Of the National Broadcasting Co
Arranged by The Star In co-opera-
ton with N. B. c., it was heard To-
cally over WMAL.
The text of Admiral Stark's ad-
dress follows:
Each year on October 81. under
the auspices Of the patriotic Navy
League, it is our custom in the Navy
to offer you the account of our
stewardship for the year that is past
Navy Day, October 81, is the BIRTH
day of a great American whose
vision was not circumscribed by
shore lines, and whose thought did
not. stop at the high tide water
mark-Theodore Roosevelt.
Here is typical quotation from
him:
Unjust war is to be abhorred, but
woe to the nation that does not
make ready to hold it's own in time
OF need against all who would harm
it; and woe thrice over to the ma
ton in which the average man loses
the fighting edge, loses the power to
serve, if the day of need should
arise"
Before him and after him are
many other Americans who shared
with him an insight into the things
that make nations secure and re-
spected in the world, and who have
been Jealous to lead our people
along the paths of national security
and national honor. 1t is to this
line of patriots, starting in Colonial
times, and coming down to the great
American now in the White House
that we owe our naval policy, and
the leadership that has shaped our
naval thought.
Unprecedented Expansion.
And so I come to you with my
Navy Day report on the activities
of your Navy in this fateful year of
1941-a year which has brought dis
aster and suffering to many people
and in which the welfare of our own
country is more greatly menaced
than it has been for many genera
tions.
AS all of you know, circumstances
in the world have forced us to en-
bark upon a naval expansion un-
precedented in our history; perhaps
in any history.
What contrast this effort is to
the comparatively recent decade
when we, in common with the other
democracies, sought security by in
dulging in Utopian dreams of Sc
curity by treaty.
We backed our desire for peace BY
the most positive steps toward naval
disarmament ever taken by any ma
ton.
We scrapped tonnage well under
way toward completion.
We took nearly completed ships
to sea and sunk them in enthusiastic
pursuit Of that will-of- the -wisp.
peace and security without effort" I"
AS chief Of naval operations, I
can assure you that your Navy would
be very happy indeed If 1t had in
service today just a small portion OF
the tonnage which was scrapped as
this country's contribution to world
peace and disarmament by example.
1t is not enough that we become
prepared. It is essential for the well
fare of this Nation, for our position
in international affairs. for our peace
Of mind and for our domestic tran
quillity that we stay prepared.
Today. it seems that survival from
the maelstrom into which the world
has descended can only be assured to
Americans, and to the democracies
with whom We share our principles,
through the influence of armed
might-especially naval might.
Wise Foresight Necessary.
The survival Of the American way
Of life and our institutions is plainly
interviewer with the corresponding
survival OF all the American nations
and the other non-predatory coun-
tries of the world.
The most certain way of suffering
the destruction of war would be
through timidity, weakness and
shrinking within our shell. We should
choose the opposite course as the
best means Of obtaining justice for
ourselves. Our commander In chief
has chosen it; the Navy follows him
with complete loyalty and energy.
This course demands wise foresight
in preparation, firm insistence upon
observance Of just principles, rugged
demand for respect of our clear
rights and obvious readiness to use
our might in defense Of our prin-
ciples and rights.
Adherence to such q course repre-
sents the only hope for the whole
fraternity Of non-predatory peoples
on earth-our brothers in the hope
for world wide decency, security and
stability. We fail them if we fail
ourselves; we help them II We help
ourselves
You are familiar with the national
policies of hemisphere defense. of
America serving as the arsenal Of
democracy under the lease-lend
principle, of the freedom of the
seas; these might be summed up in
a broader policy Of the. survival of
American interests-political, eco
nomic and moral.
During this year the Navy has
given concrete aid by receiving in its
Navy Yards the fighting ships Of the
British Navy and of sending them
out with their wounds healed to re-
new their gallant fight in behalf Of
the principles of freedom to which
we both subscribe. This duty has
added to the oomplexity Of our ship
building problems, but 1t has been
undertaken gladly.
Cites Visit Of Latin Officers.
Ore of the he1nfl11 events Of the