Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-15
IT OFFICIALLY ADMITS
WEAKNESS OF DEFENSES
Woeful 1nadequacy of Men, Guns
and Ammunition.
ARMY REORGANIZATION URGED
Council Of National Defense Pro-
posed-Confirms Facts Known
to Military Officers at Home
and Abroad.

President Taft today directed Secretary
Of War Dickinson to withhold from Con-
gress entirely his report on the national
defense, made in answer to a resolution
passed by the House of Representatives.
The House yesterday declined to re-
ceive the report in confidence. Hence it
will not be sent at all.
Admits Unpreparedness for War.
The sensational report shows how the
country is inadequately protected against
invasion from foreign governments 1t
was sent to the House yesterday as a
secret document. After a number Of con-
ferences and hurried telephone messages
it was returned to the War Department
on the ground that the House could not
receive secret report.
With 391 members in that body, the con-
tents of the report would stand a chance
of leaking out to the public Immediately.
in the opinion of those who conferred on
the subject when the remote contingency
of a secret session of the House was men,
toned.
Facts Already Before House.
Hc fTSSlOcnI tOok l1e SIOuHu lOUdS
that all the facts as to the army and the
Notifications along the coasts Of the
United States upon which Congress could
base any proposed action were contained
in the regular annual reports OF the Sec
retary of War, the chief of staff and
other subordinate officers of the War De-
partment. These reports already are in
the hands Of Congress.
President Taft agrees with some of the
congressional leaders that these conclu-
sions and opinions should be held in strict
confidence. AS the House cannot receive
reports in confidence. the President de-
cided 1t was best to withhold the original
report in its entirety.
He directed Secretary Dickinson to pre-
pare letter to the House giving the rea-
sons for Withholding the special report,
and inviting attention to the regular an
nual reports. which will be found to con-
tain all actual information that helped to
make up the reply to the McLachlan reso-
luton.
Weakness Of National Defensek
Members of Congress who saw the doc
ument before its withdrawal say the re-
port of Secretary Dickinson points out:
That the country is wholly unprepared.
That there is a woeful inadequacy of
men, Of guns and of ammunition.
That the army should be reOrganized,
and
That council of national defense. with
the Secretary Of War at its head, should
be created by Congress.
The report of Gen. Wood. which was
marked CONFIDENTIAL" dealt with these
matters. The real significance Of the doc
ument Is that it makes official admission
Of conditions already we'll known among
army and navy officers in this country
and abroad.
Gen. Wood in his testimony before the
House military committee yesterday fur
nished some of the most interesting in
He discussed the whole subject of ma
tional defenses, told where the weak
points lay and laid particular emphasis
on the possibility Of attack from the
orient.
He did not give vent to any alarmist
views as to danger of any immediate
invasion. but talked confidentially OF the
need of Congress. as prudent and eff
fective act, to take Immediate action to
guard against any possible trouble from
Japan or China.
Yellow Peril Serious.
Representative McLachlen of California,
author of the resolution which brought
about the Official exposition of the weak
ness of the military defenses, said today:
"A foreign country could land 10000
u
The only intimation of trouble would be
their blowing up of the mountain passes,
thus preventing any communication with
the east.
I'm the three states west Of the Rocky
mountains-California. Oregon and Wash
inston-we have 1900 regular troops and
500 state militiamen. The best military
authorities say that 1t would take years
TO dislodge foreign troops if they ever
secured a foothold under these conditions,
and that it would cost the United States
one billion dollars
The bill introduced by Representative
uobson Yesterday embOdies the admin
istration idea of a national council for de-
fense and is the result of his conference
with President Taft, Secretary Dickinson
and other officials.
The holding up of the report grew out
az opposition of Representative Tawney
of Minnesota, chairman " the appropria-
tions committee. it is said. Mr.. TaWney
Is understood to have had his aten-
tion called to the report some time
40 ..o,' whereupon he hurried to the White
House called the attention of the f'reSl-
dent to the policy of retrenchment In
appropriations at this time, and advised
him that, figuratively, II the conditions
cited in this report were made public
the whole retrenchment policy would be
interfered with.
Speaker Returns Documents.
The War Department precaution to
| protect the report led to a serious mix
up in the House The report was mark
| ed Confidential" That precaution was
| indicated only OH part of the document
| In the routine handling of the report
it was passed along with the other ex
ecutive documents to the clerks Office
where such matters are open to public
! inspection. Almost instantly the con
| fidential nature of the document was dis
| covered and the report was withdrawn
| to the privacy OF the Speakers office