Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
NEW YORK IS At
ENEMY'S MERCY.
ASSERTS OFFICER
Army Man Writes in Infantry
Journal That Eastern Metrop-
oils Would Get First Blow.
U. S, SAFETY is SCOFFED
Article Declares That Foreign
Liners Could Land 10000
Troops in Few Days.

1T is a popular fallscy IN our coun-
try that our distance from probable
enemies gives US security from at
tack Nothing could be more foolish
than this unthinking faith. India and
the Transvaal were farther from
England and Tonquin was farther
from France than we are from Eu
rope but distance ala not save those
places from invasion and conquest
Distance alone viii not grant US i'm
munity from European aggression"
The words are those of Captain
Hugh d. Wise, Third United states
Infantry, writing In The Infantry
Journal the service magazine. pub
lished By the officers ~ the infantry
arm Of the United States Army The
title Of the article Is our Cnprepar-
edness for War and In his treatment
of the question Captain Wise is both
frank and cautious, for II there is
any nation on earth unprepared for
a great foreign war that nation. In
the unanimous opinion Of the officers
of the regular army - the United
States and among the first places 20
feel the iron hand OF the conqueror
would be New York in the opinion
Of Captain Wise.
European lnrbroslio Helps.
The fact that the complicated stat
us of European politics renders Euro
pean countries exceedingly cautious
about embarking on war Is, IN the
opinion ~ Captain Wise, most for
tunate circumstance for this country,
Vet. he adds. 10 depend for our ma
tional safety upon such an uncertain
thing as the status quo Of European
politics rs too chimerical 10 be se-
ri0usly considered
"Of him who imagines that we can
whip the world" adds Captain Wise,
"lst as ask whether he has ever cold
ly compared our military conditions
and our fighting power with those ~
possibe cncmies2 That we are Nul-
nerahle 20 foreign attack is fact too
well known to the great powers to
warrant our trying 10 deceive them.
Now Third Naval Power,
Captain Wise then points out that
the United States, SO short time
ago the second. is now the third naval
power. and that the gap between the
American and the foreign Heets ~
gradually but surely widening. IL
then calls attention 90 the fact that
both Germany and England nave m
their transatlantic trade vessels ply
uorts which could at q single sailing
bring 90 our shores 10000 trained
troops. equipped in every detail, an
TO pupose such armies We have In the
United States 5000 regular mobile
troops and "a little over 100000 OF thf
organized militia. the latter being, ne
continues. "as heterogeneous as the
states from which they hail. and wh'
vary IN quality from those Of few
states where they are fairly Wen
eouIpped. 90 those Of other states
where they are IN chaotic military
condition
II would require al least six weeks
TO mobilize and concentrate our &mall
h-st line ou tho Atlantic seaboard
captain Wise continues, adding tnal
this b. not a confidence inspiring
Neapon with which 20 meet power
Al and veI-traiued adversary
New York in Peril.
sne author then goes on to show
what would happen 10 New YORK ana
Washington and The large cities near
them iu the event OF am invasion py
frst-Class foreign power
~No serious blow" he says, could
be struck us below the Chesapeake
BAY. nor could a paralyzing blow be
dealt I'm New England A blow In
the South might mortify and sting,
one in New England might pain OF
stun but the knockout must hit US on
our Middle Atlantic, and u is mere
that we must expect the punch.
After abiding 90 Washington anu
the cities OF the Chesapeake. whose
easy capture and rich posi- bilities In
contributions make them tempting
prize" and the additional fact that
the possession n the head or the
Chesapeake. "Whtre the great trunk
lines 81 railroads cross it. would not
only stop the ous-eighth 81 our do
ntsur traffic which they carry, but
also would strategiCally sever our Al
lantic seaboard in twain Captain
Wise turns 10 NeN York
Great though" he says, 'the com
rna.gisl Importance ~ this section
may bee. ana great 30 is vet 81 isl
small compared with that 81 the Coun-
.rF about New York. whose wealth
and whose financial influence are al
most beyond estimate. Its capture
would put flfa hostile hands "a prize
u iucaIculahIe value. not only be-
cause Of the paralysis Do would cause
20 the nations business. but also be
cause ~ the political pressure that
this financial strain could Doe made 90
carry 90 the utmost parts Of the land
But primarily the Importance OF New
York O. commercial and if 10 is at
our commerce that the enemy desires
TO strika, he NiI probably aim his
blow 40 New York"