The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-12-15
Speaker Cannon Returns Com.
munication to the Sec.
rotary.
II Declares Enemy Could In.
wade Country.
LACK OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT.


from the war department showing
how the country IL inaGequately pro-
tected against Invasion from foreign
governments was sent 10 the house
a. a secret document and after a
number OF conferences and hurried
Telephone messages. was returned
TO the war department on the ground
That the house could not receive a
secret report
Win ssl members IN that body
the contents OF the report stand a
chance OF leaking out to the public
Immediately, Ia the opinion OF those
who conferred on the subject when
the remote contingency Of secret
sefalon OF the house is mentioned.
Members OF congress who saw the
document before is withdrawal say
the report OF Secretary Dickinson
points out that the country Is wholly
unprepared. that there Is a woeful In
adequacy OF men. guns and ammunl-
ton. that the army should be reor-
ganized and that a council OF national
defense. with the secretary OF war at
the head. should BE- created by CON
Fresf. The report OF General Wood.
which II marked confidential" deal,
with these matters and gave ofiicial
admission TO matters that are OF
common knowledge among army and
navy experts. The real significance
OF the document IN that Il makes Off
ciai admission OF conditions already
well known among army and navy
oriccrs.
Wood. IN testimony before the
house military committee. discussed
the whole subject OF national de
Tense, told where the weak points
lay. and laid particular emphasis on
the possibility Of an outbreak from
tho orient. he ala not give vent 10
any alarming We've, but talked conf
dent'ally Of the need to take imme-
diate action 10 guard against any pos
sible trouble from Japan or China.
Representative McLachlan. OF Cal-
lfornia. author OF the resolution.
said: "A foreign country could land
geo 900 troops on the Pacific coast
IN 30 days. and the only intimatinn
OF trouble would be their presence
Military authorities say that II would
take year, to dislodge foreign troops
n they ever secured n foothold in
the Rocky mountains. and Il would
cost the United States a billion dol
lars"
The bill introduced by Represent
alive Hobson, embodies the admin
iftration Idea of a national council
for defense and Is the result OF his
conference with President Taft. Sec
Rotary Dickinson and other officers.
The holding up OF the report grew
out of the opposition, OF Tawney. OF
Minnesota. chairman OF the appro-
pr'ations committee. II IN said. Taw-
ney IS said to have had his attention
called TO the report some time ago.
whereupon he hurried to the white
horse. called attention OF the presi-
dent 10 the policy of retrenchment in
appropriations aud advised him that.
hguraiiveiy. II the conditions cited in
this report were made public the
whole rotrenchment policy would be
intor,ered with
After looking into precedents, the
speaker concluded there was no argu
ment for The acceptance OF the re-
port OF confidential communication
II was then returned 10 Dickinson
with a polite letter calling attention
10 the rules OF the house which re
fuses communications Of this kind.