The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-01
WEST COAST DEFENSE.

We have from Adiutant-Gcneral L.
A Wedgwood copy of speech de-
livered by Honorable James McLachlan
OF California. in the House of Repre-
sentatives on May 10Th last, with COM
mandatory note thereon. Representative
McLachlan was discussing the sundry
civil bill, but addressing himself directly
to the resolution before the House call
ing on the Secretary of War 10 report
on the military force and defense6 of
the Nation, tho state of readiness of
this country to repel invasion if at
tempted on the Atlantic, on the Gulf,
or on the Pacific Coast. Representative
McLachan spoke especially as to the
latter part of the resolution, the unprc-
paredness of the Pacific Coast in case
of attack. This speech puts the matter
in very concise, direct form. It shows
condition to resist an invasion, let us
say from Japan, and Japan is the ma
ton considered by Mr.. McLachlau as
the one against which we would have
to defend ourselves il that defense
is necessary at all.
This speech shows conclusively the
ina biIity of the navy to aid the Pa
clhc States under present conditions,
because the most of our navy is in the
Atlantic. The Tribune has contended
all along that we should have as strong
and as prepared navy on the Pacific
as on the Atlantic The rule we should
have as to the Pacific is the same as
that which Great Britain has for her
navy; we should not only have A strong
enough force to assure victory over
any one possible opponent. but we
should have preponderance against
any likely combination that could be
formed against us.
Representative McLachlan compared
the military force of this country with
Japan s. showing the inadequacy of our
regular army and the unreadincss of the
militia TO cope with regular invading
troops. Finally he came TO the monu-
mental book, "Tbe Valor of Igno-
rance, written by General Homer Lea.
which we have commented upon with
admiration in The Tribune. There is
not the least doubt in the world of the
tremendous warning which that book
gives to this country on that question.
We have the warning of history besides,
and IT IS simply a stupid sort of policy
for us TO go on year after year in the
unprepared state we are in on the
west coast, On the Pacific we have
shore line of fifteen hundred miles with
practically nothing to prevent the land.
| ing Of an enemy at any of a large
number Of good ports on that coast.
San Francisco is well fortified to be
sure, against a direct attack from the
sea. but it is absolutely helpless as
against landing in force lower down
| on the coast. The Notifications at the
| entrance to the bay would bo of no
value in such case, and San Francisco
would inevitably fall. The same is
true of the chief coast cities, and the
argument is unanswerable that we
should prepare for defense in view of
the present defenseIessness of the Pa
cific Coast
General Lea s book is so full Of sug.
gestive material, so absolutely appli-
cable to the situation, so directly ex-
planatory of the needs and the perils,
that VIC do not see how Congress can
much longer ignore the possible peril
All of the great war critics of the
world, agree that Japan could unques.
! tionablg land large force on our