The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-04-29
UNCLE SAM NOT
PREPARED FOR A
WAR WITH JAPAN
Member Of Army Staff Tells How
Orientals Could Seize Islands
and Land on Coast.
SISTER ASKS FOR ASYLUM DEFENSE IS DlsoB
Sudden Attack Would Find Nation
Helpless, Declares
Official.

Washington. April 2S.--One of
the leading experts OF the country
who ds. as well. a member OF the
general staff of the army, today out
lined the unpreparedness OF the
United States for war with Japan
should such conflict grow out Of
the present controversy over the
lCatifornia alien land law. Here are
the facts as arranged from official
figures:
\ "We hold the Philippines with
1900 troops. The island of Cor
lregidor, at the entrance to Manila
Bay, which it is proposed to hold
T with this force, lis but partially for
Itiiied. In the Island of Dwhhu we
have about 5000 troops with which
to protect Pearl IIarbor and Homo
Ilillu. This island is but partially
fortified, and the least number Of
troops that it has ever been calcu
lated could hold it against attack IS
one division of about 10000 men.
''ln the United States we have n
partially trained militia of about
Il 1908 men of all arms and corps.
a mobile regular army available os
about $4,000 men and coast artil
lery force of about 5000 men.
Troops Badly Organized.
This last would be needed in the
sea coast defense. so there would re-
main for defense about 10000
mobile troops all badly organized.
the majority of which, are half
trained. To concentrate these
troops ON our Pacific coast, should
there be no hitch in transportation,
would take from four to FIVE weeks.
And it may be said in this connee-
tion that not knowing the enemy's
objective, we would not concentrate
them at any one point, but must di-
vide them between two or three.
III we consider next the prob
able artion of Japan it is evident
that two courses are open, always
remembering that she has at least
two months free before she need
even consider our fleet.
First, she can seize the Philip
pines, Hawaiian Islands and Alaska.
Second, she can seize the Philip-
pines and attack the Pacific coast.
"In either case she deprives our
fleet of base on its arrival in the
Pacific. To do either of these she
has at her disposition transportation
for 10000 men exclusive Of her
fleet. 49,
Seizure Of Islands Simple.
''If We are to Judge her chances Of
success in the first case, it has been
said that, using The, vessels OF the
smaller tonnage. escorted by her
roorer vessels of war, she can in two
weeks disembark on the Island of
Luaon, in the Philippines, two divis
ions, $4,000 men, and establishing a
naval base seize Manila and pro-
ceed to reduce Corrigedor. twenty
eight miles away
In two weeks her feet will have
reached the Hawaiian Islands In
three weeks such troops as she NAV
deem necessary to have sent will
have landed, and her feet will have
naval base and be free to harry
our Pacific coast and meet our fleet.
east or West, should it have been
able to carry sufficient coal to make
the voyage.
I'm the second case. Japan could
proceed against the Philippines. as
already stated, and. for the moment
Ignoring the Hawaiian Islands. send
70 the Pacific coast from 100000 to
10000 trained soldiers escorted by
a fleet. In four weeks, before we
could have been able to concentrate,
they would have arrived and could
land almost anywhere they wanted. :"