No nation ought to keep a navy larger than is necessary to do police duty.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The United States has the largest and best navy in the world.
The military has been tremendously important in the past during catastrophes and in protecting the population. But it shouldn't become an auxiliary police force.
It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil.
We all know the Navy is never wrong, but in this case it was a little weak on being right.
I think we look to the military as something that protects our shores.
I am impressed with the belief that our naval force ought not to cost more in proportion than the British. In some things they may have the advantage, but we will be found to have equally great in others.
In New York City we have the biggest police force in the country. We have 35,000 uniformed officers. We're able to mass officers in significant numbers if we had to.
I do not hesitate to say that the limitation on naval craft between the great naval powers was too high.
We pay for the navy, and we have no commerce for the navy to protect; we pay for the army, and we loathe and execrate the work upon which it has been engaged.
In my opinion, any navy less than that which would give us the habitual command of our own coast and seas would be little short of useless.