Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
Coast Defense.

The Presidents submission of a special
message to Congress on the subject of coast
defcnses brings once more 10 point the
whole question of our preparedness as ma
ton for warfare Fortifications are es-
seHtially investments in future protection.
The army and the navy may have a use in
times of comparative peace, the army in
quclliHg domestic riots and. in the outly-
ing dependencies. In preserving order on a
large scale. while the navy is at all times
serving the national interests by carrying
the flag into distant waters and unfolding
the prestige of this government and thus
safeguarding the lives and property of
American citizens. But coast defenses can
have only one use, one meaning. They are
constructed. at heavy expense to insure
a degree of protection against a foreign
foe in case of a war with maritime
nation
The United States, exposed as it is on
both the east and west and also on the
south TO incursions by a possible assailant.
must either protect its coasts effectively or
not at all 1t must adopt one or the other
OF the TWO broad policies Of national ad-
ministration. 1t must make its forts the
best possible or II must dismantle them and
trust to continued peace to save it from
invasion and loss. a weak chain of forts
Is waste of money, virtually an invitation
to disaster
The United States has thus far in It's
course adopted the general policy OF pre-
paredHess. although it has tagged in the
course from time to time and has been
forced at heavy cost to relearn the lesson.
After the war between the states. which
demonstrate ted the true state of affairs and
trained the nation to a high state of eff
ficency in the art of warfare, the country
lapsed into a condition of indifference to
the ways of self-defeuse 1t had been ex-
hausted by the struggle of four years 1t
was heart-stck at the thought of blood
shed. In consequence its coast defenses
and its naval armament were allowed to
fall - low condition. The naval revival
OF twenty years ago was followed by a
resumption Of Interest In coast defense en-
terprises. Successive boards have consid-
cred the question and Congress has appro-
priated millions to execute the plans they
have prepared. The President now sub
mts the documents relating to the latest
development Of the subject and urges the
provision of funds for the completion of
the work
II is virtually too late for the country to
turn back in its tracks in this matter 1t
stands committed to a policy of armament
as opposed to the policy of disarmament.
II must go forward. unless it is willing
10 allow The expenditures of the past to
go utterly to waste as useless encum-
brances. If we could be assured beyond
the possibility of mistake or betrayal that
the nation would remain at profound peace
with all the world Indefinitely, without a
loss ~ honor or power or trade, it would
be the part of wisdom and economy to
strip The fortihcations Of their guns. dis
miss the troops and dismantle the ships
That milienial day has not arrived. 1t is
beside the mark to urge that we should set
the example. We bear today d great re-
spousjbility and We should live up to IT,.