The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-06-16
THE JAPANESE SITUATION.


kind of trouble is originated in the
FIowery empire that strains the rela
tons between that country and the
United States. The latest outbreak
of hostile feeling has been laid at the
doors of the Progressive party, polit-
ical organization in Japan that is evil
IDENTIFY trying to get into power by stir
ring up bad feeling between the two
countries. 1t is admitted that the
United States is in a very perplexins
position regarding the naval situation
on the Pacific coast and in Asiatic
waters. Our fleets on the Pacific ocean
are chiefly composed of cruisers and
smaller warships and are without bat
tleships And in the face of the smol-
dering trouble with Japan it is doubt
full If it would not be the best policy at
the present time to dispatch any bat
tleships from the Atlantic fleets to re-
inforce our Pacific squadrons. Such
actions might seem to the Japanese
government hostile in way, and
might precipitate open warfare.
1t begins to look very much as
though Japan would like to force the
United States into a war and the real
reason for this is plain to perceive.
Japan not only wishes to be mistress
of the Pacific ocean, but also covets
our rich possessions in the Philippine
Islands. 1t will take a war with the
United States to realize either one of
these ambitions. The country that
the key to the entire Pacific ocean,
The United States at present owns
these islands, but it has not improved
it's ten years ownership by properly
fortifying them. Japan today has the
largest fleet of warships in the Pacific
and owing to the present unfortified
condition of the Hawaiian Islands
would experience very little difficulty
in capturing them if hostilities broke
out between the two countries. Con-
gress is to blame for this dangerous
state of unpreparedness and is also to
blame for the insufficiency of battle
ships in the Pacific.
The western coast of the United
States is every whit as valuable as the
eastern coast and congress should pro-
vide as much protection for the one as
for the other. Our Atlantic seaboard
is protected by one of the largest and
strongest fleets in the world, but our
Pacific coast is allowed to remain in
practically an unprepared condition
Furthermore. we have valuable posses
sions and stragetic points in the Pa
cific. such as the Hawaiian Islands.
first invader that should happen to ap-
pear. The value of a strongly forti-
fled stragetic point to nation in time
OF war was clearly shown during the
Russo-Japanese war. The possession
of Port Arthur by the Russians was
the one thing that enabled them to
prolong the war as long as they did.
1t offered their fleet a safe haven to re-
tire TO when defeated, for repairs. And
later. when the Japanese landed they
were forced to maintain an enormous
army besieging Port Arthur while they
inc r
The Hawaiian Islands, in case of a
war between the United States and ia
pan, would be to the former country
Just what Port Arthur was TO the Rus
SLAMS. II they were we'll fortified
they would make an excellent rende-
vous for our Pacific fleet. And if con-
gress would only have the good sense
TO increase our Pacific fleet TO respec-
table proportions it could operate from
the Hawaiian Islands as its base. and
wipe out of existence any japanese
fleet that appeared against it, And If
place the stragetic points of the Phil
ippine Islands in a well fortified con-
6ition. it would be almost an impossi-
bility for Japan TO even consider war
with the United States For to carry
on a war under these conditions with
US successfully. Japan would be requir-
ed to send one fleet against the Philip
pines and another against the Hawaii
an Islands. And with a division of
forces like this. . strong American
fleet could swoop the Pacific.
Whether congress will consider the
question of increasing our navy at its
next session is hard to tell President
Roosevelt has tried for several years
now to get congress to appropriate
enough money to increase our navy to