Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-15
IAssociated Pressl

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA report
from the-war department showing how
the country was inadequately protected
against invasion from foreign govern
ments was sent to the house today as
a secret document. and, after several
col ferenceS and hurried telephone mes
sages, was returned to the war Depart
ment because the house could not re-
ceiVe a secret report.
Members of congress who saw the
document before it's withdrawal say
the report of Secretary Dickinson
points out that the country is wholly
unprepared for war: that there Is a
woeful inadeQuacy of men, guns and
ammunition; that the army should be
reorganized and that a council of ma
tional defense, with a secretary of war
at its head, should be created by con-
gresS.
The report of General Wood, marked
: confidential" dealt with these mat
ters and gave official notice to mat
ters of more or less common knowledge
among army and navy experts In this
country and abroad. In fact, the real
Significance of the document is that
1t makes official admission of condi-
tions already well known among army
and navy officers. General Wood, be-
fore the house military committee, FUR
nished some interesting information
He discussed the whole subject of ma
tional defenses; told where the weak
points lay, and laid particular em-
phasis on the possibility of attack
from the Orient.
SAYS ACTION Is NECESSARY
He did not give vent to any alarmist
views, but talked confidentially of the
prudence of taking immediate action
to guard against any possible trouble
from Japan or China. Representative
McLachlan of California was another
author of the resolution which brought
about this official exposition OF the
weakness of the military defenses and
his statement of military conditions on
the coast was quoted and indorsed by
General Wood.
General Wood contended that While
the country was reasonably well de-,
tended much should be done to place 1t
on q secure basis.
He argued that congress should pro-
vide for some more artillery and field
guns and for a. greater stock or NUM-
tions of war, so as to be prepared for
any emergency. He believed the stand
ing army should be expanded to 1OO,-
600 men and favored reducing the term
of enlistment from three years to two
years.
He believed in the active encourage
ment of the militia of the states as
valuable first national reserve and that
the thirty thousand OF more men an
nually going out Of the army to re-
sumo private life should be kept in
close touch with the government SO
that they could constitute second re-
serve.
A bill introduced by Representative
Hobson embodies the administration
idea Of a national council for defense
and is the result of his conference
with President Taft, Secretary Dick
inson and other officials.
TAwNEY LEADS OPPOSITION
THE holding UP of the report grew
out of opposition of Representative
Tawney of Minnesota, chairman of the
appropriation committee, 1t is said.
He called the attention. of the presi-
dent to the policy of retrenchment in
appropriations at saiS time and ad-
ydsed him that. figuratively, II the con-
ditions cited in the report were made
public the whole retrenchment policy
would be interfered with.
After looking up precedentS the
speaker concluded there was no war
rant for the reception of the report as
q confidential communication. There
fore he returned 1t to Secretary Dick
inson with polite letter, calling at
tention to the rules of the house which
REQUIRE all ordinary executive COM
munications to be printed.
A recognition of the force of the
word "confidentiaP marked upon the
document would involve its reference
to a secret session, which, the speaker
said would be procedure unprece-
dented for nearly century.
Secretary Dickinson received this
letter very late in the day and conse-
uuently withheld his answer until to-
morrow 1t is probable he will with
hold from the house the appendices
to the original report which contained
the confidential matter and resubmit
the document, emitting the Injunction
al confidence.