The Washington times., 1906-12-08
War IS Possible, Prepare,
Is Cry From the
Slope.
STAFF PLANS CAMPAIGN
Special Bill Covering Situa-
tons Needs Will Go to
Congress at Once.

congressman from California are APP
pealing to the War Department and 10
their fellow legislators from other States
II for the defense Of san Francisco and in
i general the Pacific Coast against attack
\ IN case Of possible hOstilities with Japan.
Ia has developed that the General stan
is secretly working on a comprehensive
4 plan of improved defense with the result
Il that Congress viii be strongly urged at
an early date 10 take favorable action
upon the report of the Tart board on
coast defense which was submitted TO
II by the President last March
STAFF Mapping Campaign.
These recommendations viii be par
ticuIarIy pushed by officials OF the Ar
tfIery Corps, backed up by both the
Il Secretary of War and the President.
while the General stan in the mean
while, determined not 10 be caught zap
ping, is quietly mapping out a plan OF
campaign.
This does not necessarily mean that
the War Department officials actually
expect trouble. It is simply ia line with
The weIl-known policy Of the General
Staff 10 'in time of peace. prepare for
war 1t was on this policy thar addi-
uonaI troops We're sent TO the Philippines
last winter and military officers secretly
sent To China, TO be prepared IN case Of
possible uprising; it was the carrying
ont OF this policy that made the army
prepared TO land quickly Ia Cuba when
the Secretary or War called Tor troops,
me plans having been secretly worked
out six weeks before Secretary TAFT
started for Havana.
Philippines Undefended.
The principal worry of the officials
just now is the total lack Of defense Of
the Philippines and the easiness with
which an army could be landed by a for
midable power IN those islands. There
Is not a mounted gun or artiUeryman in
all of the Pacific iusular pOssessions-the
Philippines, Guam or the Hawaiian ISL
uuds. Having failed 20 obtain action
at the last session. officials of the Ar
tulery Corps hope the present incident
with Japan may bring Congress 10 a
realization of the danger at the back
door Of the United States, so to speak.
A special bill covering these require
ments is now being prepared to. 60 70
Congress at an early date. It Will likely
be. presented by Representative Hull,
chairman of the House Committee on
Coast Defense, who has had number OF
conferences with the War Department
officials during the last few days.
Examined the Coast.
The report Of the joint army and navy
Z board, known as the Taft board on coast
? defense. was made after long delibera-
tions. The board was composed of Sec
retary Taft, president; Lieutenant Gen
eraI Chaffee, retired: Lieutenant Gen
eraI Bates. then Chief Of Star; Rear
Admiral Charles NJ. Thomas; Maj. Gen.
J. 2. Story, retired; Mai. Gen. a. W.
GreeIy then Chief Signal Officer. Brig
adler General CTOZieT. Chief of Ordnance =
Brig. Gen. a. Mackenzie, Chief Of En-
4 gipeers; Mai. Gen. Samuel NJ Mills
Admiral G. $. Sperry.
The weakest point on the coast is the
Puget Sound region The board esU-
mated that IL would require 5,OUJ, 600 10
complete It's defense. It recommended
the mounting OF seven 14-inch guns
guns of entirely new caliber, and the
I biggest guns ever mounted. Guns of
this size are needed, il was held. be-
cause of the brOadness OF the sound.
Backing Up Frisco.
The board recommended the strength
.ening OF the defenses at San Francisco
ITO the cost Of 10000 and recommend
ed the expenditure Of SlOOOOO0 on de-
fense Of the Columbia river.
{ These recommendations call for prac-
itically doubling the strength OF the
present Pacific coast defenses. The ar
F Itulery corps has only one-thIrd enough
men to properly man the defenses as
they are now, which means that there
ere only One-siXJh enough aTtillerymen
ION the coast at present to man such
forts as are deemed necessary by the
Taft board.
The artillery officials VIII urge upon
Congress the right 10 Increase the corps
from 1900 men, as at present, TO 5000
and a still larger number would be nee
essary 10 man all the forts recommend
ed for all the insular possessions. as
we'll as on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
Would Spend Sa5,oOo,OOo.
The board recommended that So, ,OOO, 600
be appropriated by Congress for de-
fense Of the Philippines and other ISL
ands in the Pacific, and the Panama
canal.
The artillery officials viii also strongly
urge the passage as early as possible OF
the bin for torpedo defenses, which was
reported by the Senate at the last ses-
sion. Fully 5000 additional men would
be required TO man these defenses
Representative Kahn, in his call upon
Secretary Taft, urged the necessity of a
torpedo planter Tor the harbOr of San
Francisco, so that torpedoes may be
quickly planted in case Of danger.