New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-15
and declared that this country /. with

and declared that this country lie with
out adequate defence on either coast.
Then Speaker. Cannon reminded the
conferrees that the House, under It's
rules. cannot receive a confidential re-
port and ii was accordingly returned TO
the Secretary OF War for emasculation,
complete suppression or full publicity
1t develops that Representative Hob
son. of Alabama. was the innocent cause
of the recall of Secretary Dickfnson's
original report, which was given to the
press in confidence ten days ago. Mt
Hohson. who wants four batueships
year went TO Mr.. Tawney and asked
him 10 introduce a bill providing for the
Council of National Defence, which the
closing portion of Mr. Dickinson's report
recommended. 1t was the first intima
fion Mr.. Tawney had had OF the char
acter of the Secretary's disconcerting
communication.
Council of National Defence.
Mr.. Tawney, with an eye to economy
tn appropriations. was greatly worked
Up, and started in haste for the White
House, where he induced the President
TO have the Secretary's report withheld
from publication. 1t fs understood, how
ever, that at a recent Cabinet meeting,
The national council was approved by
the President and his advisers.
Noting the turn of affairs, Mr.. Hobson,
VINO came into possession OF an early
copy OF the report, took the initiative
to-day and introduced the bill he had
casually mentioned to Mr.. Tawney. 1t
provides for the establishment of a
council Of national defence. consisting
of the Secretary of War, who shall be
president: the Secretary of the Navy,
the chairmen OF the Finance, Military
Affairs and Naval Affairs committees of
the Senate, the chairrnen of the Appro-
priations. Military and Naval commit
tees Of the House, the chief Of staff Of
the army, the aid for operations of the
fleet Of the navy, the president of the
Army War College and the president of
the Navy War College
II provides that this council shall de-
termine a general policy of national de-
fence and shall recommend to the Presi-
dent for transmission to Congress such
measures relating 20 the national defence
as IL shall deem necessary and expedient,
and that the council shall meet at least
once q year and may call before it any
member of the Cabinet, Senator, Repre-
sentative or officer of the army, navy,
marine corps or militia.
General Woods Testimony.
Major General Wood. chief Of staff,
appeared before the House Committee on
Military Affairs to-day. and at an exc
cutive session of that committee con-
firmed the sensational statements in the
suppressed report Of the Secretary Of
War He discussed the whole subject
OF national defence, told where the weak
points are. and laid particular emphas sis
the possibility of an attack from the
Orient. He did not express any alarmist
views as to the danger Of any immediate
invasion, but talked conf1dentially of
tie need that Congress, as a prudent
and effective act, should take immediate
action to guard against any possible
trouble from Japan or China.
The figures in the report will show
that we need $4,000 men to defend either
coast said Representative McLachlan
tonight. 1T will be further shown that
we could only muster about 114000 men,
including the regular army and the
militia, The Japanese to-day know the
contour Of our ssvestern coast better than
dos the Americans Japanese are now
employed as ranchrner out West. They
spend taeF Sundays sketching the coun-
try, its railroads and its approaches. The
country is entitled TO know the real state
of cur national Defence and intend that
the distressing facts shall become pub
tic.
"A foreign country could land 900
troops on the Pacific. Coast in thirty
DAYS and the only intimation of trouble
would be their blowing -up of the noun
tain passes. thus preventing any COM
munication with the East. In the three
states west of the Rocky Mountains
California oregon and Westinghouse
have 5000 regular troops and 5000 Of
state niiitiamen. The best military au-
tborities say that it would take years to
dislodge foreign troops if they ever Sc
cured a foothold under these conditions
and that il would cost the United States