The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-15
SENSATIONAL
SECRET REPORT
Secretary of War Dickenson
Sends Confidential Document
to House, Which Refuses to
Receive 1t, But It's Con-
tents Leak Out to
the Public.

vcnsntionaI report from the War De-
pnrtmcnt, showing how the country is
1nndeauately protected against Invasion
from foreign governments, was sent to
the House to-day ms secret document,
and, nfter a number of conferences and
hurried telephone messages, was
turned TO the Wnr Department on the
ground that the House could not re-
ccive q secret report.
With 39I members of that body, the
contents of the report would stand
chance of leaking out TO tho public
Immediately, In the opinion of those
who conferred on the subject when the
remote contingency of secret session
of the House WIS mentioned
Members of Congress who saw the
document before Its withdrawal say the
report of Secretary Dickinson points
out that the country fs wholly unpre-
pared, that there Is wofnI inndcauncy
of men, of guns and of ammunition;
that the army should he rcorgnnized
and TINT council of national defense,
with tho Secretary of War mt It's head,
should be created by Congress.
The report of General Leonard Wood,
chief Of stan of the army, which WAS
marked "contidentiaI," dealt with these
matters. The real signifcance of the
document is that II makes official ad-
Ncii
known among army aud navy officers
in this country nnd abroad.
Shows Weak Points.
General Wood, IN his testimony be-
fore the House Military Committee to-
day, discussed the whole subject of
national defenses, told whore the weak
points lay and laid particular emphasis
on the possibility of attack from the
Orient. He did not given vent 20 any
aiarmlst views as to danger of any
immediate invasion, but talked conf
dentially OF the need of Congress. as a
prudent and effective act, TO take i'm
mediate action to guard against any
possible trouble from Japan or China.
General Wood contended that while
the country Is reasonably well defend
ed. much is needed to be done to place
1t upon secure basis. He argued that
Congress should provide for more ar
tillery and field guards and for great
or stock OF munitions of war, so as to
be prepared for any emergency. He be-
lieved that the standing army should
be expanded from $4,000 TO 10000 men.
lie favored reducing the terms of en-
listinent from three years to two years
He believed In the active encourage
1nent of the militia of the States as a
valuable first national reserve, and that
the 10000 or moro men annually going
out OF the army to resume private life
should be kept in close touch with the
government, so that they could consti-
tute a second reserve.
Representative McLachlan. of Cali
fornla. the author of the resolution
passed at the last session which
brought about the official exposition OF
the weakness of the military defenses,
said to-day:
"A foreign country could land 200. 600
troops on the Pacific coast In thirty
days, and the only intimation of trouble
would be their blowing up of the moun-
tain passes, thus preventing any COM
munication with the East. In the three
States west of the Rocky Mountains
California, Oregon and Washington
we have 5000 regular troops and 5000
State m!lttiamen. The best military au-
thorittes say that 1t would take years
10 dslodge foreign troops IL they ever
secured foothold under these condl~
lions, and that 1t would cost the United
States Sl,000,000,00
Administration Idea.
The bill introduced to-day by Repre-
sentative Hobson, of Alabama, embodtes
the administrator idea of a national
council for defense, and is the result
OF his, conference with President Taft.
secretary Dickinson and other officials
defr9it, and consequeatlve policv OF
national defense. determined liy the
dellheratons of b1th the executive and
legislative branches OF the govern
lnent, and to insur, harmony not ONLY
In determining, but in enforcing .hc
policy, The idea is 10 1 promote effi-
elenfy and economy IN peace ana war
Fhe Secretary g. Mar would DC pres,
icent of :he councit' the other mem
hefs Icing the Secretary of tile Navy
the ,'hairmen of The senate AM House
Military and Naval Affairs Committees
the chairmen of the Senate Financt
and the House Appropr ations Commit
tees, the chief of the genera! staff q:
The army, the allie for operations OF
the fleet of the nt.v. and tcc pres!.
cents of the Army cnd Nav War Coz.
lsges
lhe holding up ,r tho repc,t grew
out Of oppositioi; of Repres, ntativt
Iawney, OF Minnesota chalrmal OF the
+ Appropriations ComWstiee, It IS said
He l.s-nnlSrStood 4, lhtvc- Hal his at
tertion called to the rcport some time
ago, whereupon he hurr ed to the
White House, called the attention ot
the President TO the policy OF retrench,
ment in approximations ut this time
and advised him that, figuratively, Il
the conditions cited in this report were
made public the whole retrenchmen
policy would be interfered With.
The War DEPARTMENTS precautior
to protect the report led to a serious
rix-up in the House, The report was
marked "Conidential," but that pre-,
caution was indicated only on a par
OF the document. In the routine hand
ling OF the report, it Wac passed al us
with otner executive docnmeaSs 10 tht
J. sv E
Continued on Tenth Page,i