DAILY NEWS
Ms4?nu www ?
. SATURDAY AFTERNOON NOVEMbE* 20. ms
No. HS
CONGRESSMAN KITCHIN EXPLAINS
NATURE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
PROJECT AND ALSO HIS REASONS
FOR OPPOSING PROPOSED PLAN
Representative of the Second District Sends Exclusive
t Statement of His Views to the Daily News.
Other Papers to Publish It Tomorrow.
S
PUTS FORTH STRONG ARGUMENTS IN HfS ARTICLE
.. .... mwwr t ?
Mr. Editor:
The Seven BeM IfagMln?, the or
gaa of the Nary League (the organ
Uatlon which ha* created, by decep
tion and misrepresentation, the ap
parently big sentiment (or the mtll
tarlam and navallsm now proposed,
and which seems to have stampeded |
many patriotic, and usually level
headed people) declared In Its Octo
ber Issue that 1 had the right "to
vote for or against" the prepared
ness measure, but that I bad "neith
er the right nor shoeld he (I) bo
allowed even to discuss It In the
House," etc. I trust, however, that
the press of my State, though most
of it differ widely with me, will not
refuse the privilege which I ask, to
express through it to the people some
of the reasons for my position and.
give some of the facts with resprc' I
to the Question which has been with 1
bold from, or certainly not given tr
the public. _ I ask this privilege
with confidence that it will br
granted, especially in view of th'
fact that many of the State paper
have severely criticised me, ?omr
going to the extent of bitterly de
nounctag Be. I bave no critlciair
to mako of the press and the peopl
in the State who differ with var
Raving heard only one side, and ow
lag to the tans of literature of do
caption and misrrpresentatlon o
the subject, being poured out dai*?
to the people by the metropolitan
prees aOtf^ magastnes ? many, pei%
haps. Innocently ? and by tbe eo
called "Patriotic Societies," of whic'
the Navy League is the head, it 1'
but natural that a large majority o'
tbe people should oppose my posl
tlon. With your permission, I sha!
now proceed to give some of th
facts and reasons which impel m
to oppose the big military and nava
program which will be proposed to
Congress.
1. Am to the actual condition or
our Navy.
All the talk and writing! by the
pre** and the so-call d "Patriotic
Societies" about our "utter helpless
neas," our "dangerous unprepared
neia," our "defenseless condition,"
our "growing weakness," our "hav
ing fallen to the third or fourth
grade of Inferiority in naval
strength," etc., Is pure tommy-rot,
based not on a single fact.
Let It be first understood that In
the "Preparedness" program th^
Navy of Great Britain 1b eliminated.
This was 10 testified by the Secre
tary of the Navy, Admiral Fletcher,
and othrr naval experts, and even
by Hobson, In the hearings before
the Naval Committee at the last ses
sion of Congress, all declaring that
we do not need or deslr* a Navy as
strong as 'hers. Notwithstanding the
metropolitan press, magaslne writ*
ers and the "Patriotic Societies"
and our Navy Year-Book (which was
exposed In the last Congrsss, and
will be so exposed in the next, as
unreliable and misleading.) the
fact Is, that we have, built and build
ing, the strongest and most power
ful navy In the world, cxcept that
of Oreat Britain (which Is eliminat
ed as above stated.) Our Navy Is
stronger than that of Oermany, far
superior to that of France, more than
twice as strong as that of Japan or
of any other nations. Admiral
Fletcher, the highest aetlvo officer
Id the Nary, Commander of the At
lantic Flett, the man who will have
to do the fighting If an? le to be
done, (whos? Judgment on naval
subjects the Secretary of the Navy,
before the Naval Committee, declar
ed he had soonsr take than that of
any man In the world) ezpreeely de
clared, at the naval hearings daring
the last session of Congress, that we
had a Navy, "Superior to that of
Germany or any other nation, exoept
Or eat Britain." 1ft answer to th*
question, "If 1ft ft war with Germany,
could our Navy successfully resist
thftt of Oermaftjrt" he aftfWftred
"Yftft." Captain WlnterfealUr, an
other naval expert, testified: "Judge
WlthtrspooB hM proved that our
Navy Is superior to that of Germany
uid I agree ylth him." Admiral Bad
:er, Ex-Commander of the Atlantic
Tleet (a member of the General
3oard of the Navy) declared that no
ane had ever heard him say that
'Germany had a superior Nary to
ours."
The facts of record, the tests laid
down by naval experts here and
abroad, snd the naval authorities *of
the world (all of which I have before
mo as I write) confirm the truth of
this teatlmony.
The armored fleet of Germany,
consisting of battleships, dread
naughts and predreadnaughts, ar
mored cruisers and battle-cruisers
(built and bui'.dlng) in number is
62 (to say nothing of the vessels lost
Mnce January 1, 1915.) The fleet
>f the United States, of the same
essels, is in number fifty-six, with
>Ter 40,000 more tonnage. (Numbrr
? nd tonnage, however, are not the!
.-riterioa of superiority.) Of twenty j
'f Germany's battleships listed by
?ur Navy Year-Book, sixteen are not
ble to go more than 1,000 miles
rom base to engage In naval war
are. Not one of the sixteen carr
oal enough to go from Hamburg o
Ireinen to within flyo hundred mile
>f New York and return (to ea:
othfng about being employed in r !
taval engagemant.) The Oregon
vhlch some of our nava'. experts sa:
* obsolete, and not list' d by ou*1
*aVy Year-Book (tho Indiana and
Tassachusetts not listed also) I?
very characteristic of a flght'.ng ah!;
| bigger guna, heavier armor, strong
I r ship) is far suporlor to any ou<
I f the twenty G rraan battleship'
sted by our Year-Book. Four of
he Oerman ships lrsted by our Year
look as dreadnaughtn are In reality
ot dreadnaughta, and are shown by
ne of the highest naval authorities
n thn world (Jane's Fighting ShlpO
o be defective, unsuccessful ships,
nd so known to ho by every Htudent
">f naval affairs. The last five drend
? aughts authorized by Congress are
-uperlor to any flUx dreadnaughrs
O rmany has, bul't or building. Our
?hlps are hotter, larger, stronger an J
nore heavily armored. Our guns
\re larger, stronger and more effec
Mve. Of tbe big gunn of the nh!pti,
tw Ive Inches and over, we have 284,
?vhlle Germany baa only 194 (bnllt
nd building.)
If the Navy of Great Britain Is to
be eliminated In the "Preparedness"
program, which our naval experts
say It should be, and If we have a
navy now superior to that of Ger
many er any other nation In the
world, except Great Britain, for
whom or against whom do we pro
pose to prepare by the fabulonn In
crease of our naval appropriations
which the proposed program re
quires?
WE ARE PREPARED.
Instead of "our Navy growing
woaker," an the metropolitan preen,
the "Patriotic Societies" and the Jin
goes and war traffickers woulrl have
the people believe, It Is growing big
ger, stronger, more efficient and
better equipped evory year. In th
two years of Wilson's Admlnlstra
tlon the naval building program au
thorised la twice as large and costly
as the last two years of Taft's ad
ministration and larger and more
costly by $8,000,000 than the entire
four years of Roosevelt's last term
and practically as large and costly
a? the entire four years of Taft'i
Administration. Thore Is today over]
&0 per cent more construction golnf]
on for our Navf than on the 1st day
of March, 1913, or at any oth^r tlm*
In the history of our country. We
have nearly 100 per cent more tor
pedoea, mines, mine layers, powder
and other munitions than we had on
the l?t day of March, 1913, and
steadily Increasing them. We have
under Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Dnnlels'
Administration, for the first time in
years, the full complement of en
listed men authorised by law.
WE IRK PREPARING.
U fltw ot the foregoing facts.
was not President Wllaon right when
he aald in bis message to Congress!
December, 1914, in opposing the pro
gram of the llobsons and Gardners:
"Let there be no misconception. The
country has b^en misinformed. We
have not been negligent of national
defence."
|2. As to the enormity of the pro
[ pohcd program ? what it U:
The heretofore largo and growing
expenditure? for our Navy had
Aroused the people of the country in
to asking, "where shall |t end?"}
Secretary Daniels, In hiB report to
the lost session of Congress, Decem
ber, 1914, said (and he was but sub
stantially repeating what had been
sr.ld in the British Parliament, the
German IMchstag, the Trench As-'
s.-mbly, and by prominent statesmen
the wor'.d over relative to the arma
ment expenditures of their respec
tive 'countries for the last several
-years:) "The naval appropriations
1n our own country have doubled In
a dozen yrars and have"gone up by
leaps and bounds in other countries,
'f thin mad rivalry in construction
oes on the burden will become too
?eavy for any nation to bear." In
is report of December, 1913, h
ys: "The growing cost of dread
apgbta, of powder and of every
hlng that makes an efficient Navy
ves reason to pause. Tho heavy
vpense commands national and ln
-rDaiional consideration. Ten years
!,'o our largest battleships cost $5,
82,000. The next dreadnaught wil
ost $1 4,044,000." (The dread
aughts hereafter to be authorized
ill cost from $18,000,000 to $20,
00.000, and In an interview the
,'ecretary says all ship materials and
nunltlons of war havo gone up ov r
0 per cent.) He asks, "When Is
Ms accelerating expenditure to be
?educed? * ? ? If It 1? not hasten' d
?y appea's for the peaceful settle
ment of national differences, the day
!s not far distant when tho growing
burdens of taxation for excessive
war arid naval expenditures will cal.
a halt."
Now, in the face of the deplorable
truth recited by the Secretary; In
tho faco of tho fact that we have a
Navy superior to that of Germany
or any other nation, except that ?f
Great Britain; in the face of th
fact that our Navy In growing larg
er, stronger and better equipped than
ever before; in the face of tho fact,
as the President declared both in
his message to Congress December
'est and In bis recent Manhattan
Club speech, "We are threatened
from no quarter," the proposed
Preparedness" program at one]
<ound ? one year ? increases our al-|
cady Immensely large naval appro
i iriatlons more than our total in
r eases for the last fourteen years;
more than the increase by Germany
he whole fifteen years preceding the
European war, and more than the
combined increase of all the nationF
!n the world In any one year In their
history (In times of peace!)
The five-year program Incroanes
our naval appropriation over forty
tlm*? moro than the Increase by
Germany In five year> preceding the
European war; and $200,000,000
nore than the combined Increaue of
ill the nations In the world for the
five y am preceding the European
?ar; and over $60,0(70,000 more
I than the combined Increase of all
the nations In the world for the
whole period of ten years Immediate
y pri ding the European war!!
Add fo this the fact that prior to
he beginning of the European war
?e were expending annually on our
Navy from $20,000,000 to $30,000,
000 more than Germany or any oth
er nstlon (except Great Britain) was
xpendtnic on Its Navy.
For the ten years preceding the
European war we had expended on
r>ur Navy over $800,000,000 more
than Germany 6r any other nation
(except Orrat Britain) had expend
ed on Its Navy!' And yet tha metro
politan press, the macastne writers,
(Continued on ?)
CROWN PRINCE'S "NEW BABY
The llret . botccrmjLh ?howlni tin
cr3wn prlQctM of Qermauj an3 her
infant. bo? April i. ?J?. The yorar
ator la the onljr daughter of th? Gar
mnn belr >111) bis wife, and la tnaw*
OS tbe German "war baby," although
aba baa been christened "Aleiafe.
drlne." it la believed abe Was born
and christened while ber father the
Ciowu Prince Frederick, was at the
I CRESCITE CLUB
I
'Art* Htudylng M?tic*n Condition*.
Interesting P?pers Read at
! Mooting Thia W*ek.
I Ad enjoyable meeting vai held by
i ho Cresclte Club Thursday after-]
r.c^n with Miss Mao Ayers as hot-!
I'csa. The session was devoted to!
I *he study of Mexico during ancient
1 nd modern times. ?
Miss Mary Carter read a highly
'nteresting paper orJ "Ancient andj
1 Mcdern Mexico." which was follow- 1
d by another pap'r on "The Mexl
?an Situation at Pretjnt," by Mrs.
"iam Etherldge. Mrs. Lee Davenport |
Tiosrt ably read an article on- "Mel-1
can Social Life."
Refreshments In two courses fol
j ow'd the business session of the
| meeting.
WAYOME CLUB
HOLD MEETING
NIrt ln n*K*i*r Session L?st Sight.
InUrwi in dab U Increasing.
The regular business meeting of
the Wajrome Club was he'.d in thelrj
-lub rooms last night. It was well
att nded by members, and several
business subjects were brought up.
The club la fast coming to the front,
is several new members have been
enrolled, and interest is greatly In
vesting smong the young men. The
"?e*t regular business meeting Is set
"or November 20th. All members,
ad directors are requested to be
present.
'HALL OF FAME"
FOR 6B PI PIL8)
Studeati of the #B grade in the
'?Jit y aehoola. who madn an average
over 90 per cent In all their itud
p?, are having their pictures taken,
vRleh are put In a "Hall of Fame."
The move has greatly Increased the
nter *t In iichool work add nix pu
jIIb this month made over 90 per
:ents. They were John Wlee, Mar
tette Meoklnt, John Handy, Oeorge
J f.awBon, Mary D. Little and Esther
jChrrry.
HlftlR KINO CRAB.
la on Exliibltlno *t E. K. Will In'
Mi In Htreot Htor*.
A gigantic king crab, measuring
over two foot In length and eighteen I
inches wide, Hi being shown at E '
K. Willis' Main atrert store. It la,1
n appearance, a combination of tho
: turtle and the crab, has no ejes and
has attracted considerable attention
from paHsers-by. It Weighs sever a
pounds.
AERYICE8 TOMORROW
AT TIIK COUNTY HOMR
The Hernca C!aee of the Methodliit
church. lead by Mr. Keer, will con
duct lervlcee at the count? home to
morrow afternoon at three o'clock.
The public It cordially invited to
ptttonl
MKRTI.VG OF DISTRICT No. 10 OF
WOMEN'S CLUBS WELL
ATTENDED.
GOOD SPEECHES
Large NumW ??e?lott m
the N?w Theatre Yraurda/ Af.
??woe. Reception LmI Ni?ht *t
sik'e h*il
Over 100 person? Attended the
Reciprocity meeting of District No.
10, N. C. Federation of Women's
Clubs, which was held yesterday af
ternoon at the New Theatre. Tho
program was a most IctercfHjg
one, the speeches were eitremtlr
W<"|| delivered and thoroughly ap
preciated by the audience.
The meeting was called to order
by M1?b Llda T. Rodman, who acted
a# chairman. The Invocation was
pronounced by Rev. H. B. Searlght.
pastor of the Presbyterian church
and was followed by the singing o
"Carolina" by the entire twtembly
Mrs. S. R. Fowl? made an appro
prlate addrees of welcome to th?
visiting delegates on behalf of tb
women's clubs of the city, she nl4i
touched lightly on tbo work that ??
being done by the State federatloi
and the work that the local clubj
are doing.
The address of welcome from thf
cltlrentr of Washington was deliver
cd by Judge Stephen Bragaw. After
assuring the visiting delegates of c
liearty welcome to the city, tb
. judge made a most eloquent talk on
I the equality of man and woman.
"After God made the earth, after
I He divided day from night, aft r H
?Vied the seas with fish and after 1
He created the beasts and the fow
land Hie things that cri?wi upon thf j
| earttr, He made man and woman.,
And He said unto them ? not unto
him, 'replenish the world and sub
due it.' He divided the responsibil
ity equally between them. If it l6i
true that man was made the suprem"
king of the world, then why should
woman not also be the supreme
queen?
"But In somo mysterious way.
woman was dethroned. If I go back
too far Into history, madam chair
man, it iff only to emphasize the fact
that the theory that women 1b not
man's equal is absolutely without
foundation. The world Is beginning
to realize thla and I believe that
woman la rpgaisJng her rights.
"Many years ago ? and not so
many at that, either ? my partner of
Joys and sorrows, in preparing a pa
per of some kind, wou'd usually ask
her school-teacher-lawyer husband
for assistance, but now. slnc? -he
has become a member of the Ad
dlsco club, it Is hrr husband who
has to go to her to ascertain facts
regarding things ecclesiastical,
theological, astronomical, and my
thological."
The Judge concluded his highly
interesting talk by wishing the fed
eration every success In itf work.
Miss Sadie B. Waltt. of Green
ville, responded most fittingly to
the addressee of welcome and as
sured the local clubs that the vis
itors enjoyed the pleasure of being
In Waehlngton. Her response was
followed by an extremely well ren
dered Solo by Mrs. Harry McMullan,
accompanied on tho plauo by Mrs.
W. P. Baugham.
Llngle, State presid nt of
the Federation, made a moat Inter
esting address on the work that the
Federation waa doing throughout
the State. She took up lb* differ
ent departments of the labor* of the
organization and mentioned wbtt
progress had been made In each. She
alao congratulated the clot.* of
Washington for the work they wore
IJolrg and urged Ita continuance.
"We are not In thla work because
we are leas mothers and wlvea," ahe
roftclud d, "but because wo desire
o deasemlnate nonie of the home In.
iuence Into the outilde wor'.d." |
Mra. Cotten, of Oreenvllle, paat
president of the Stato federation,
and beloved by every member of
he federated clubs, made an anu,v
ng and entertaining talk In the
<;i.alnt manner of which ahe alone Ih
t a I- able.
Mra. D. M. Carter favored the
| f f nbly with a solo, which ahe a*n?
ctjulalte'jr to Mra. Baufham'a ac
.< ' npanlment.
I After Ihf report e t the |UU fl
MASCOT GETS HIS
HELD MEETING
Community Service Day Obacrred
Ytwterda) ?t Plney Grove and
Ma^fno!!#,
Community service day was ob
served ?t PJney Grove and Magnolia
veiterday with appropriate pro
rams.
I 0,n?? ot of til* battleehlp
ar**on. *^c?tly fot lost while oa
?hore leave. Later ha showed uj>
aJonf the water front and wu gtv?*
Are daye tn the brt? for falllnf to
?P ** '?ar bells in the erenln#.
L\ L Stewart, of ibis city. made,
in addresa in the morning at Plney!
?rov* on education and community
ervlce. H- laid particular streps
I ?n the moonlight achool work, the
alue of rural education and rid
ing North Carolina ar.d Beaufor.
ounty iiH early as poa^ble of illit
racy and Ignorance. Dinner wa
?rved on the grourds. following
ape-cb.
Tlie school house was appropria
tely JecoraUd and a large numb?r
)f persons were th-re. including a
largo number of patrons of the dis
trict. The new school house is a
credit to the county and to the pro
gressive men and women, head d by
L. M. Shepherd, who secured its e
rectlon through personal sacrlUccs
of time and money.
ARRANGE FOR PULLMAN.
Washington Visitor* to Norfolk May
Have Special Car for Thanks
giving Trip.
j Arrangement? are belr.T made by'
a number of local men to have the
Norfolk Southern fur.ilsh a pulimnn
(car to take vis: ors from t L ' s city to
| Norfolk on Tha. <6fel\!ng day. It .s
planned to leav hero Wednesday.
'c!ght and rr' urn Thursday night. Ifl
& pullman Is secured it will enable
the Washington peop'e to l^ave Nor
folk at 11:30 Instead of 8:30 Thurs
day night. All those who desire to
' make tho trip are requested to cotn
I munlcate at one? with Mr. Myers.
I the local agent for the Norfolk
Southern. (
In the afternoon Mr. Stewart alto
poke lit Magnolia on ?!ie value of
I ducatJon and i?B rotations to th.-i
fe of a commuc?ty. A splendid pro
j ;ram of songs and recitations by th-s
uplla of the Magnolia achoo'. wa?
ilao rand red. The exorcists were
aoder the iiupervtalon of Mr. Prlv
tte. principal of the ?hool, and his!
two assistants.
nance committee, which was r ad by
Mrs. N. L. Simmons, and upon which
Mrs. I. Ingle commented, the report*
of the different clubs throughout I
this district were read. The meeting
was brought to a rloe* by the slog
Tug of "America."
Resorption I^nt Night,
At the Rika ha'.l last night from
'8:30 to 10:30, the local c'ubs ten
dered a reception to the visiting la
dies. at which a large number were
pre* nt. The hall was beautifully
decorated wtlh ferns, vines and cut
Jlowora and presented a most attrac
ive appearance. Music wan furnish
ed hy an orchestra. Punch was serv
d throughout the evening and also*
refreshments consisting of Ice cream
md cake The occasion proved a
oost enjoyable one and afforded the
ocal residents an opportunity for
> coming better acquainted with the
tailors.
WILL TAKE AN AUTO TRIP
THROUGH NEIGHBORING
COUNTIES NOV. 28th.
MEETING IUES.
Good Road* Association will PIacuom
I'Iaoa for Going Before Bo?rt] of
County Commiaalonom at Next
Meeting.
At a meeting of the executive
committee of the Washinpton town
ship Good Roads Association, which
was he'd at the office of W. II. Elli
son last night and at which W. H.
Staacill. \v H Stancill, Jr., 0. B.
Wynne. 1! F Row rs. W H. Elli
son ami K I. Stewart wore present,
plana wvre n-.arte for an au*o ex
cursion tor Sunday. November 28:h,
the weather belrjr favorable.
I Thvarfou* autu own?r? of the
cfTy w!i: 'he askf-d to furnish their
cHTb an' la case they cannot go
theni^elxeis. proxide drivers for *heSr
ma. -bines. The owner of each car
will a 5i> h* a?kcd ro provid lunch
for t'io occupants of h:s car.
I It ir planned to leave Wa?hing
an abuui n tie o'clock tn *h* morn
rp and go out or. the Washington
.:.d WILllauiJtcn ror.d a" far as tho
M Jam?-p>13! n?nd and thou turn
itro the \Va*hing*on and Greeav^l?
aad. ly old Ford. Tran
or's Creek and La' ham's crasa
. a.l.i. Not!r?.'H w:'.' bo sent out *.o
he various vote-is of :he township,
.! vis!: f> them of the proposed roulo
o hp followed ar.d ihe approximate
.tr.f> at which ihp various points
will be reached. to the end that they
may present th mselves a', iheae
placcs to cb taken or. board the cara
^r.d carried over some of the good
roads of Pi:t. Nash, Edgecombe and
o;hor counties.
I*, in expected that this mov merit
tfli] go a long way towards enabling
a '.argo number of out of town vot
r.". who. have never had the oppor
tunity of feeing pood roads lo be
come acquainted with the valu* and
advantages to be derived from im
proved highways, and It la earnest
ly hoped and desired thai the citi
zens of Washington, who owr :.uto
mobi.es. will cooperat most heart
ily towards the sucress of thlb move
tntr.:.
Meet inn Turtday Night.
j TL ? Washington Goorl Roads Aj
U.ciat. n will hold an important
! r.; eiin*: in the rooms of the Cham
ber of Comm rce Tuesday night, be
ginning promptly at eight o'clock
Matters of vital Importance will he
taken op. An effort will be mad?
to outline some plan tn bp sun*ested
to the county commissioners at their
n xt meeting, which will meet with
the approval of th" voters of Wash
ington township as to how thn work
shall be d'?np and 'he money expend
rd in the eipn! that the bond Issue
carries.
$1 50 A MOMTH
K??-ps Your ' lr>'hi*? in
"Tip Top" Condition.
A vilt itomi' I ovffv tt i-rk ???! ihi*
*m?ll .1111 uint, ?ii<1 < orrcrilv |?rta\t
od too. C.nn v <i si I !? >rr| to he un
Rrcmmfd w'l u 5'i li ? ? l?* w.ll kiM-p
you lixikoir, *,-ic :in>l sp.n.
wRir.Hrs s<>
PKESSIMJ WORKS
Om
TODAY S COTTON
QUOTATION?
J.lul lie.
BM4 cotton
Cotton mo4 ? III.**,
TO-NIGHT
"Bahy llazelle"
? In ?
'tnjctng Daii^ng Comprly
? Alio ?
fi -RREI.8 PICTURES--?
All Nnt W???k
"Tlio Hntinmrliir (JlrV
12? P opl? ?18
Pricol 0#20