The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-19
DICKINSON WANTS
PANAMA CANAL IN
DEFENSIVE STATE
An Imperative Need of Ma
tional Defense Requires
He Believes.
PRESIDENT IS BACK
OF WAR SECRETARY
Capture of the Canal in Time
of War Would Be a Deadly
Menace to Defenses Of the
United States.
(American News Service)
eY RODERICk CLIFFORD.

BY RoDERICk CLIFFORD.
Washington, Feb. 18.--"To prevent
the possible defeat of the United
States in time of war, an imperative
need of national defense, is the COM
plete fortification of the Panama can
al" This statement comes from Sec
retary of War Dickinson, and is back
ed up by the influence of President
Taft. One great plan of the admins
tration is to fortify the canal, to make
it impossible of capture by hostile
nation and incidentally to be means
of guarding possible points of attack
in continental United States. By it's
impregnability, the integrity of the
small republics of Central America
would be guaranteed, as well as pro-
viding assurance of safety to the re-
publics of South America. In it's great
er aim, in time of peace, the canal is
to be the means of quicker COM
munication by water between the
Pacific and Atlantic, and an offset to
non-competitive railroad traffic be-
tween Pacific points and points on the
Atlantic.
Much has been said by advocates of
universal peace to the effect that the
administration or congress would
make a grave mistake in fortifyins
the canal. 1t is pointed out by army
officers, who have studied the PROPOSE
ton, however, that the greatest mis-.
take this nation could possibly make
would be to not fortify the canal. I'm
Iiversal peace, it is declared by army
and naval officers is Utopian dream
and the needs of the future can be
best adjusted by the demands of the
period. Should universal peace be
established the disarmament of the
canal could easily be accomplished
| To place at the mercy of foreign ma.
tions property already costing S375.
00O, 900 not to mention untold millions
to be gained in future trade would be
tion.
| Called Unpatriotic.
To those fostering movement an
ltagonistic to fortification of the canal
an unpatriotic motive is ascribed by
advocates of fortification. To the ar
gument advanced that the Panama
canal should not be protected be
cause England has not seen fit to for
tify the Suez canal, army expert:
point with derision. England, the,
say, does not have to fortify the Suei
canal because Gibraltar and other for
tifications along the Mediterranean
guarantee it's safety. AS to Panam;
nothing could save it from capture b,
a European nation, if it was not forti
fed, and our navy should be defeated
The American feet, small as it is
would also not be able to get ava.
from it's duty in defending American
cities. At present the Pacific coast i
unprotected, and in time of war, it i
pointed out, the navy would have t
be divided to insure protection t
cities on the Atlantic and on the Pa
cific.
!. To provide against such a condition
naval and army experts have petition
ed congress to act and President Tai
! has assured the movement of his cal
nest support. He believes that it
the one great work of his administrs
tion, and is bending every effort t
have such legislation passed at thi
session of congress.
Presidents Program.
The program of the president is
fortify the canal at the entrance wit
fortresses SO impregnable as to pr,
!. vent hostile feet gaining entranc,
Along the route of the canal, othe
fortresses, masked by hidden work
are to be built at strategic points,
be used as reserve in case entranc
is gained past the fortification
Mines are to be submerged at bot
!. entrances, as well as along the roui
of the canal, so that if the land fort
fcations are reduced the submarin
Idefenses can be brought into actor
! To accomplish the greatest part
this work. an appropriation of 81:
475,32S is asked.
The expenditure of this money is |
Work is to be begun at once. accor
ing to plans of the war departmel
and continued until the fortificatioT
are completed. 1t is estimated that
will take at least fve years to carr
out the work already mapped out.
! bill introduced in the present CO
: gress calls for an immediate appr
priation OF 81, 900. 900 to start the wol
! 81, ,000, 900 of which is to be expende
: in preliminary surveys. and in tt
7 construction of necessary naval esfa
= lishments for the canal.
The board recently appointed /
: the president to make report as
fortifying the canal, has recommen
ed that the following sea coast arm
ment be placed for defense Of the ca
e -.
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