Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-18
Army Officers Contend Landing of an
Enemy is Practicable.
CLAIM DEFENSE Is INADEQUATE
Insist that Uncle Sam is in No Wise
Prepared for Contest.
VIEWS OF CONSUL YAMAsAKI
Representative of Japan says There
is Nothing 60 the warIike Talk
and that His Country 1 sfor
Pence.

CHICAGO, Dec. ll.-(Specthl 1otegrAm.)--
General Charles L. Hedges, commander of
the Department Of the Lakes today de-
clared that Japan could land an army on
the Pacific coast with ease at any time.
because Of the weakness Of the United
States army, as pointed out by Secretary
Of War Dickinson, who recommended inn
mediate steps be taken TO correct this
weakness. lie also declared the United
States would finally be victorious after
a long and hard fight.
General Hedges was seen at his office
In the federal building and asked what
he thought about the prospects of a war
with Japan and what he believed the re-
suit would be in case Japan landed a huge
army on the shores Of the Pacific coast.
Il don't believe japan is looking for
war" declared the general. He knows
something of the laps, as he saw CON
siderable service In the Philippines and
had some opportunity Of studying the
Japanese army and navy.
"of course, an invasion of the Pacific
coast is entirely practicable" he continued.
The Pacific coast is not adequately de-
Tended. There is 1000 miles of shore lying
along our western coasts and an enemy
would have little trouble in landing an
army"
General Grant Says More Men.
General Frederick Dent Grant COM
mander of the Department OF the East,
who was formerly stationed in Chicago,
declared In an interview In New York that
out country was in no way prepared for
war.
I'VE need 100000 men to defend our
coastH." declared Central Grant. eve
need a larger standing army. In case OF
war we would have to draft 10000 men
TO defend our coasts, and 1t would take
weeks to properly equip them. The whole
equipment would have to be rushed and 1t
could not be done in time to check the
enemy. This Is the situation that we must
consider and there il no dodging of it,"
In speaking OF this phase Of the matter,
General Hodges said: ,..
The Pacific coast. too, would be the
first point that Japan would attack in case
Of war.
THE Japs have a great navy and have
= large number of transports with which
they could send big army to our shores
under convoy OF battltships, which could
protect the transports easily. The landing
on the coast would be accomplished almost
without opposition"
scare ts only Talk, Says YRmasalki.
IAN this scare about war with Japan IL
talk-mere talk.
There are no reasons why the two
countries should fight each other, and they
will not.
Japan wants to compete with the United
States, but 10 compete commercially and
not on the field Of battle
These three brief characterization
from an interview with X. Yamasaki, Jap
anese consul to Chicago, indicate the
views of the Chicago Japanese regarding
the present scare;
s'rhis taIk-mere talk-about war be-
tween Japan and the United States Is ab.
surd, further declared Mr.. Yamasaki.
IT makes all Japanese laugh. Japan
wishes TO compete with the United States
We all believe that competition is a fine
thing but the competition should be
friendly and OF purely commercial ma
ture and not on the battlefield, with rifles
and swords. trying to see which army
can xiii the greatest number of its oppon
ents.
I'VE think" continued Mr., Yamasaki
IauEhinEly. that this war agitation Is
being forced by certain American business
men. to whom a war scare would be al
advantage. We can see no other reason
for H.
DO YOU remember a report from th'
west that certain American girls had re
fused to dance with visiting japanese Off
GERS? Well, that report was absolutel!
groundless. ! have il from high Japanes
authority that my country Is sending on
no spies and intends TO send out none
Japan Is for peace, There are no reason
why the two countries should fight eacl
other and they will not"