The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-02-14
THEY WILL BE AT SAN PEDRO ON
PACIFIC AND CAPE HENRY
ON ATLANTIC.
RESULT OF STRATEGY GAME
Army and Navy Officers Several
Years Ago Proved We Could Not
Prevent Japanese invasion--con-
gress Now Waking Up.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


sity OF additional Notifications on the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The APP
preparations committee OF the house
mas recommended that there be in
Guided in the Notifications bill the
sum OF $250,000 to start the work of
providing great batteries of 14-inch
guns at San Pedro, which is the har-
Dor of Los Angeles, and it has recon-
mended also that s150,OOO be appro-
prlated to secure land at Cape Henry
at the entrance to Chesapeake bay,
where another great fertilization will
De erected in the near future.
There is history connected with
the efforts to secure the enlightenment
OF heavy guns at these two harbor
entrances and in its way it has in
terest. Touching the western coast
IN the vicinity of Los Angeles, it
may be remembered that just prior
10 the close of the Roosevelt admin
lstration 1t was feared that this coun-
Try was on the verge of trouble with
Japan. At that time army and navy
ofncers were not altogether satisfied
that the country was in a condition to
sustain conflict with the eastern
power
The army officers connected with
the war college in Washington and
naval officers connected with the one
at Newport worked out jointly prob
lem In warfare. It was game" in
way which was played. On one
side of the table was Japan and on
the other as its opponent was the
United States, and the moves were
made by experts at the game of war.
Japan won.
What the War Game Disclosed.
Laymen thought that the findings of
| the men OF the militant services could
not be considered seriously, but later
II became known that the problem as
1t was worked to its conclusion was
| accepted by military authorities ev-
eryWhere, as having been sanely
solved with the conditions of the game
| as they were. AS the result of that
strategy study congress has just ap-
propriated $250,000 to begin the work
Of fortifying the approach to the coast
CT southern California at San Pedro.
1t was found By the strategists that
with our fleet as it was at that time,
japan could land a sufficient force
OF men on the coast near Los An
geles, hold the country upon which
an immense army could subsist, COM
mand the three mountain pass APP
proaches from the east and keep at
bay for a long time as great an Amer
lean force as could be assembled to
attempt to force the mountain passes
to dislodge the enemy. Puget Sound
is fortified, and so Is San Francisco.
Congress now intends to complete the
chain of Notifications by adding the
defensive link at San Pedro.
Fortress Monroe, Virginia, has had
in its sole keeping for years, the safe
I ty of several American cities. 1t is
the outpost defense of Washington
1 and Baltimore, and with Fort Wool,
which is a low lying mid-channel bat
terry, it stands as an aggressive SEN
tinel, keeping watch over Washington
and Richmond.
Southeast across the mingling wa
tiers of the bay and the ocean lies
| Cape Henry, the rough coast of which
is visible on clear days to the gunners
| on Monroe's parapet, but no projec-
! tile which their great steel monsters
can hurl is ever likely to prove effec-
tive against battleships stealing in
around Cape Henry ueder the cover
of fog or darkness to make the run
up Cape Charles into the waters of
the Chesapeake.
Congress has committed itself to
the entering wedge appropriation for
government fortiflcation mounting
l4-inch guns to be constructed on
Cape Henry. When this is completed
/ it is probable that Richmond and Nor
folk, Washington and Baltimore, can
sleep in confidence that no foe can
come by water to their troubling.
Plans for Suffrsaist Parade.
Washington has two big pa
rade committees hard at work,
one striving for the success of the
pageant in honor of the Inauguration
of Woodrow Wilson and the other
working ha.1 and willingly to make
superior to the parade of mere man"
the suffragis, pageant which will be
held on March on the stretch of the
great avenue between the capitol and
the treasury building.
A request from suffrage leaders ask
ing congress to pass a constitutional
amendment letting down the bars
against woman's voting is to be pre-
pared in connection with the giant al
legorical procession and pageant to
be held the day before the Inaugural
ton of President-elect Wilson. At
least 5000 men and women from all
parts of the country. and particularly
from the ten suffrage states, are to
take part in the procession and in the
mass meeting to follow.
The suffragists understand thor
oughly the worth of publicity and APP
parently they also understand the uses
of the press agent. They seem to feel
that something with circus features"
Is more potent attraction than a