The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-28


"Tageblatt" publishes the following
article by Colonel Richard Gaedke,
the noted military critic:
The Mexican troubles, which, with
out doubt, have assumed larger dimen-
sions than President Diaz admits,
draw attention to the political and
military conditions on the American
Pacific coast.
Nobody believes that the United
States has arranged its remarkable
military maneuvers near the Mexican
frontier merely to please the friendly
Mexican government or just to pre-
vent defeated bands of insurgents
from crossing to American territory
or to suppress the smuggling of
weapons or to prevent the passage Of
American volunteers to insurgent
camps.
The mobilization of American
troops amounting to nearly half the
entire standing army, has other OBJ
jects which are not side issues, but
the principal purpose of the whole
movement.
One need not, however, think of the
100000 Japanese who are said to live
in Mexico to strengthen the Mexican
army in case of necessity against the
United States or of the leasing Of
Magdalena Bay on the west coast OF
Lower California.
Tells Of Chances Of War.
Such exaggerated reports only prove
what anxiety is felt concerning the
relations of the United States and
Japan since America has pursued
world politics by occupying the Philip
pines; by pursuing an energetic trade
policy in Eastern Asia and even try
ing to influence the development of
affairs in Manchuria.
There is, of course, a possibility, If
not probability of future conflict be-
tween Japan and the United States
To provide for such case the Unit
ed States has obtained possession of
the Panama Canal and has completed
that work by enormous sacrifices.
To provide for such a conflict Con-
gress recently appropriated the Presi-
dents proposals for the fertilization
and permanent occupation of the
canal, but possession of the canal re-
quires that American influence should
predominant in Central American
countries.
AS far as the smaller republics are
concerned, the hegemony of the Unit
ed States may be regarded as as
sured. Now the opportunity has oc-
cured for placing Mexico in a posi-
ton of present dependence.
MaqadaIena Base for Foe.
In this connection Magadalena bay,
perhaps, plays a certain role. If this
bay were occupied by the Japanese
forces with the open or secret assent
of Mexico, the Japanese would there
by acquire an excellent base from
which to proceed against the Amer
lean fleet as it merged from the Pan
anna canal.
The military force of the United
States on the Pacific Coast is extreme
ly weak and the greater part of the
American fleet is in the Atlantic
Ocean. Even after the completion of
the Panama Canal, the removal of the
fleet to Western coast would take
some time and the sinking of one
single Japanese steamship could pre-
vent the appearance of the American
fleet on the Pacific Coast sufficiently
long enough to enable Japan to win
the war.
The position of the American army
is still worse.
Recently much has been spoken Of
the intention of annexing Canada, but
unless an overwhelming majority Of
the Canadian population is actively in
favor of it, the occupation of Canada
would, in a military sense, be utterly
impractical for the United States.
~. s. Has No Army"
Six divisions of the English field
army quickly transferred to Canada
would suffice, If the generalship were
good, to compel the United States to
conclude unfavorable terms of peace,
Such a war, of course. is highly i'm
probable, and only mention it to
illustrate the extreme military weak
ness of the United States compared
with European military powers and
with the strong Japanese army.
The United States does not possess
anything which could really be called
an army. The United States has