The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-04-07
HOBSON SOUNDS
NOTE OF ALARM
SAYS THIS COUNTRY MUST
STRENGTHEN HER NAVY TO
INSURE PEACE.
CONFLICT WITH JAPAN
Seems Possible Over Open Door in
China--Japan's Preparations
For War Retarded as
Significant.

Washington, d. c.. G-Pointing oul
what he declared to be the precarious
condition OF the national defense OF
the United States both in the Atlantic
and the Pacific oceans, Mr. Hobscn
of Alabama. in the house of represen
tatiyes today made an earnest plea fol
two battleships of $4,000 tons dis
placement in addition to the two an
thorized by the naval appropriation
mate would indicate that for the min
imum basis Of security and safety in
the Pacific ocean the United States
should lay down at least -four big
until Japan comedies to us what IS in
eyitable-the American control OF the
sea around which our possessions are
scattered" As a minimum for the At
lantic ocean the government should
lay down six battleships a year, he
said Heretofore, said Mr. Hobson,
the weakness of America in the mat
ter of national defense had not been
fatal to its growth and development,
because the oceans constituted a great
barrier between America and the arm
les of the world Nov, however"
bridged and the armies of the world
bridged an dthe armies of the world
have been brought to our doors. and
along with the armies of the older ma
tions of Europe have come the armies
OF the ancient natives of Asia" He
said that where America formerly
lived more or less in isolation, she is
now exciting the jealousy of other
great nations In threatening their su
premacy in commerce, industry and
finance. In addition. he declared that
recent events have thrown us into
the political vortex of the wcr1d, AMI
that the dangers of being unprepared
are becoming greater and greater with
each succeeding year.
Foreign Nation Could Invade,
After calling attention to Americas
lack of merchant marine, which
could be used as auxiliaries in time of
war, and of transports necessary for
properly conducting war operations,
Mr.. Hobson said
I'VE have almost no standing army
and could not prevent the seizure by a
foreign power of harbor on our
shores or near our shores, to be used
as a naval base; whereas it would be
practically impossible for America to
secure a naval base for operations in
European waters. Forts, mines, tor
pedoes. torpedo boats and submarines
are valuable accessories, but such de
fenses have never stopped a deter
mined commander of great feet.
They did not stop Nielsen at Copen.
hagen, nor Farragut at Mobile Bay,
nor Dewey at Manila. Such defenses
never determine the issues of a war,
and have no weight in deterring an
enemy from seeking war. The forts
that we have are woefully unnamed,
whereas the troops needed for other
landward defense could not be mobil.
lied within the time necessary"
Conflict With Japan.
The possibility of a conflict with
Japan was discussed at length by Mr.
Hobson He said it was but per
fectly natural for Japan to aspire to
dominate the commece of China, the
commerce. of Asia and of the Pacific
ocean. And he added it was perfectly
natural for Japan to seek to control
the policies Of China and to attain SUI
premacy in the Pacific ocean, and TO
lead the Yellow race toward recog-
nized supremacy in the world.
With regard to the great nations of
the white race, Mr.. Hobson said, 1T
is. of course, clear to the japanese
statesmen that America is the one
great nation standing athwart of the
realization these ambitions. 1t is
true that America only asks fair
chance and no favor-simply the open
door policy in China-but this policy
goes counter 70 Japanese ambitions.
The United States. said Mr.. Hobson,
must accept Japan's protestations OF
friendship. and we should most cordi-
ally reciprocate friendly feelings and
should realize that if any breach
should come between the two coun-
tries 1t would be our fault on account
of being so defenseless, and not the
fault of Japan.
Japan Preparing For War.
Pursuing his analysis of the condi.
tions in the Pacific, Mr.. Hobson de-
clared that I'VE cannot ignore the
fact that Japan has undertaken stu.
penduous war preparations. prepara
tions which have doubled the national
debt of japan since the war with
Russia was over It Is estimated that
she has between 100000 and 400. 200
men under arms. yet there is no men.
ace from the armies of Siberia or the