282 BANQUET. 



prolonged applause and cries of "Hear!" "Hear!") Nor shall we live to see, unless wisdom 

 passes from us, the day when the Government will not build ships and operate them. (Ap- 

 plause.) We will carry our commerce, and carry it at prime cost, and deliver it to whoever 

 needs what we produce, whether in South Africa or South America or anywhere else. 

 That must be the policy of a great republic that is to fulfil its mission, develop its indus- 

 tries, and do its duty to itself and to all the world. (Applause.) If we build this merchant 

 marine and conduct it by the Government, gentlemen, we must not shy at the truth that we 

 shall never permit subsidies in this country to be given to ships, because we know that sub- 

 sidies go to a comparatively few persons and do not create trade; but the Government, 

 representing all of us, will build the ships and operate them for the benefit of America and 

 the expansion of its trade and commerce and the glory of its flag. (Applause.) 



And along with that we shall continue the building of a great Navy — a three-year pro- 

 gram authorized three years ago will be continued, and another three-year program just like 

 it will be entered upon. We are building 274 more destroyers, costing nearly $400,000,000, 

 and the Administration is determined to press the passage of another three-year bill through 

 Congress ; and I have no doubt, before the 4th of March, we will hail its passage as a precur- 

 sor of our great navy that will make America proud and free and strong to do our part in 

 preserving the peace of the world. (Loud applause.) Nor will we build this great Navy 

 to overawe the weaker nations, or with a thought that we shall use it against nations that, 

 with us, shall go into the League of Peace. One of the propositions, which was a part of 

 the demands of America, was a League of Nations to Secure Peace and to Enforce It. 

 (Applause.) In that League we shall set up a high court, a tribunal, to which every na- 

 tion must submit its differences, and we must have a powerful, international navy, that 

 will be the policeman of the world and enforce the decrees of this Court of Arbitration; 

 and to that policing America, the richest of nations, which has suffered less by the war than 

 any other great nation, must contribute its part, its large part, sO' that by this policing of 

 the seas we shall be able to keep the peace of the world until reason and justice may prevail 

 in the hearts of nations without the need of policemen. 



Judge Buffington has referred to the great problems that are before us. Gentlemen, 

 we are about to pass from war times to peace times, and many adjustments must be made, 

 but it is the policy of the Government that this transition shall be made easily and gradu- 

 ally — no wholesale cancellation of orders, no stopping of work begun, but to go on with the 

 work, so that factories which have been put into war business may from time to time change, 

 without interfering with their operations, to peace work. We have told the men who are 

 making the big guns that they are to continue to make these guns, but that we will let the 

 guns stand aside for some months in order that they may use their facilities to manufacture 

 goods that shall rebuild France and rebuild Belgium and enter upon new construction and 

 public improvements in our own country. 



Have you thought of the demands that will be made upon us tO' rebuild these countries 

 and to re-establish Russia ? As soon as our machinery is in motion and the changes are made. 



