The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-21

OUR MILITARY SECRETS"

| Kansas City Journal: There was
| or course, an element of humor in the
situation when the secretary of wal
sent a confidential" communication
TO congress dealing with supposed sec.
| refs OF our military vulnerabilits
which everybody all over the world
either knows all about or could find
out by consulting the nearest army
officer This mysterious report from
Secretary Dickinson, which stated in
effect what had already been printed
In books and newspapers, was re-
specially sent back to the war de-
partment with the Endorsement that
congress couldn't keep a secret. And
then every member proceeded to tell
the newspaper men all that the report
contained.
From time to time within the last
half a dozen years our military experts
nave sounded a solemn warning
against the neglect in providing de-
fenses on the Pacific coast.
The real significance of this conf
dentiaT report of the secretary of war
is that it makes official admission of
these conditions that can no longer re-
main unnoticed. The incident further
illustrates our awkward and blunder-
ing system of military strategy. For
years we have respectfully pointed
out to Japan and China how easy it
would be to land an invading army on
our Pacific coast with practically no
opposition. And to prove this conclus-
lively we have invited the officers and
engineers Of the Japanese and Chinese
armies to come to this country and ex-
anime our weak military outposts for
themselves. We have welcomed these
foreign army men without reservation,
taking them through our forts and fur
nishing them the. plans and specifca-
tons of our military works. We have
reviewed our troops for their inspec-
ton and have allowed them to photo
graph anything that took their in
terest.
On top of all this our own army Of
ficers have been talking necessarily
about our weakness Of defense on the
Pacific coast. Representative Nc
Lachlan, of California, only echoed
what has been repeated many times
when he said: "a foreign country
could land 100000 troops on the Pa
St1C Quasi III thirty days anu the only
intimation of trouble would be their
blowing up of the mountain passes,
thus preventing any communication
with the east. In the three states
west of the Rocky mountains, Califor-
mia, Oregon and Washington, we have
5000 regular troops and 5000 state
mllitiamen. The best authorities say
1t would take years to dislodge for
eign troops if they ever secured q
foothold under these conditions, and
that it would cost the United States
s1,0OO,O00. 5000"
If the Panama canal were completed
and fortified it is extremely doubtful
If any oriental country would dare do
more than cast envious eyes upon our
Pacific possessions. But it will be
three years before this canal can be
opened. In the meantime there are
persistent and ugly rumors, ground
less maybe, but nevertheless worthy
of consideration, that our interests are
in jeopardy. Military men point to the
sudden outbnrst of hostilities in Man
churia when the Japanese went to
slaughtering Russians without even
the formality of declaring war. We
need not be wild alarmists or sensa-
tionalists to suggest that it is still
true that eternal vigilance is the price
of peace.