Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-22

highest award in these events is the
title of Master Shot" given to those
who make seventy-five hits out Of one
hundred shots within an S-inch circle,
in kneeling position, at distance $50
yards.
A citizenry so trained from youth can
be readily and rapidly transformed into
an efficient fighting machine.
The greatest demands of the require
ments for military training are made
the period of his life when he can best
try.
The Swiss system spells prepared
ness in large capitals.
Think what an enormously valuable
civic and economic national asset it
would be to have among us millions of
boys, yours and mine among them,
taught to take care of themselves ply
sically, to carry themselves erect. to
be manly; boys being trained in disci-
pline, in system, in self control. in self
reliance, obedience, loyalty and deter
mination to carry to finish the task
that has been assigned or undertaken.
And millions of young men trained
in the fundamentals Of military drill
and movements, in the art of giving
and obeying orders, and possessed of
the knowledge of how to handle men,;
a knowledge just as valuable for bust
ness purposes as for military.
There is another way in which we
men of Maine can help practically and
at once that is by subscribing to the
fund for the establishment of the Maine
Station of the Aerial Coast Patrol Sys-
TEN. which is now in the hands of a
State wide Committee Of our represen-
tative men.
And this is something in which our
Maine women as well as men can help.
The system has received the approval
of the President, the Secretaries of War
and Navy, our Maine Senators and Con-
gressmen. and military and aeronauti-
cal experts. 1t is vital feature of
our National Defense, in regard to
which there is no division Of opinion.
The subdivision of the system into
sections Of convenient radius. brings
the expense of each section within the
means of each community.
The idea itself in briefest terms is
the division of our entire coast from
Eastport to the Rio Grande, and from
San Diego to Puget Sound, into con-
Venient sections or beats" each beat
in time of emergency to be patrolled
continuously by a powerful hydro
aeroplane with driver and observer,
equipped with wireless.
Such a machine driving along its
section at a distance of so to 60 miles
from the coast, can detect the ap-
proach Of an enemy's ships miles fur
Their out, and by means Of the wireless,
convey information as to their num-
Der, character, and course. to the shore
stations, thus giving several hours
advance notice to prepare for attack
When the system is in operation
there will be far out at sea c1ntin-
uous Gordon of whirring shuttles, the
eyes Of the nation seaselessly weaving
their curtain of protection around the
entire country.
With such a system in operation a
surprise attack upon our coasts will
be an impossibility.
The idea is to get the sections Of this
system established by private initia-
tive, and later they can be either talk
en- over by, or co-ordinated with the
government.
The immediate result will be the ac-
QUESTION of a considerable number of
hydro aeroplanes, available for gov
eminent use, without burden to the
government; and material increase
in the number Of aviators available for
government service, also without bur-
den to the government.
What we are now trying to do is to
establish the first station of this sys-
tenn here in this State at the eastern
extremity Of our cost line.
1t is believed that this Maine station,
the first Of its kind, can be made a
model and pattern and that the sue
cess Of this effort to install it will
prove such a powerful stimulus and
exert such a controlling influence as
to result in the establishment of a
continuous series of stations by the
various communities along our coasts
until the entire coast line from here to
Puget Sound is covered and protected.
The naturalization of such coast
wide system by private means. ready
for taking over or coordination by the
whenever ucSlIdDlc, Is VI
unquestioned value, and this movement
is of great Importance.
The State of Maine lies thrust far
out to the east. Ours is the RESPONSE
bility and the honor of this exposed
position. The Aerial Coast Patrol sta
ton for which we are working will
furnish the maximum protection at the
minimum expense for our own coast,
and it requires no stretch of the imag-
ination to picture some daring Maine
man driving his machine at 100 miles
per hour southeastward from his sta
ton, discovering almost in mid-Atlant-
ic the approach of a hostile fleet, head
ed for New York or Hampton Roads,
and returning to flash the news to
Washington hours before the stations
to the south could possibly do so.
The installation Of this station is an
opportunity to send a ringing message
throughout the country that Maine as
usual is on the job, leading the way,
doing her duty and doing it, now.
United States Senator johnson
Senator Johnson began by review
ing what he termed the golden age of
peace. development and freedom which
America has enjoyed since the close
of the Civil War. No man, he said, can
be honestly blamed for the nations