Evening star., 1915-01-24

roe famous-the fat-footed declaration that any at
tempt of European power to acquire territory on this
side of the sea will be regarded by the United States
an unfriendly That may have been wise and far
seeing policy, and may have been otherwise-all &C
cordng to ones point of view But it has been quite
apparent that previous to this year, were rarely in
position to do than automatically protest if
nation like Germany England Tor both together)
should have made test
From that tcksh situation have hitherto been
saved by the grace of God and strong bluff Hence
forth eliminate the bluff for we have water
way that will facilitate the quick movement of Mon
Doctrine Squadron from side of South America
to the other Since have far to assert that
it misdeeanor for Europe to grab territory on this
side the sea, now prove t,-at Calao and Val
I,araiso easily at Rio Buenos Aires And the
evident fact that do this the safest of all guar
antees. Therefore why should not the Panama Canal
be considered for Nobel peace prize the ground
that has lessened the chances of fight with Europe?
7 ESSENED also the danger of great conflict with
- the nations of the East 1t is fully appreciated
that the completion of the canal has done to guar
antee continuance of friendly relations with the
Far East than all the treaties and trade relations OF
letime-smply because it has made any future attack
Pacific Coast so full of peril that no nation in
that part of the world will lightly issue declaration
of war against
There is of prospect of such ntention but
the of the last few months have shown how easy
it is for world to burst out of peaceful sky.
The nations of the Far East mighty and at last
conscious of their power when properly organized We
have sowed in their midst many seeds of discomfort and
there has been at times real danger of popular resent
ment forcing the hands of government
This danger is no longer imminent Though it would
be possible for any powerful fleet to invade the Philip
pines through Asiatic waters the canal has beset the
of the task with many grave difficulties that
with he iS
hold Hawaii remember, and he who holds Honolulu is
master of the Pacific
If hostile fleet should cross the Pacific and fail to
capture Honolulu it would be in the middle of bad
fix. 1t would have to limp back home while it had coal
enough, else make a desperate dash across the
shorter distance and stake everything on an attack
somewhere on the Pacific Coast. The Admiral would
probably take the desperate chance. 1t would
qire at least week for him to get within shooting dis
tance of California since the speed with which he came
would be the speed of his sowest shpand it is certain
that he would have lame ducks in his flock after
the mortar batteries at Diamond Head ceased firing.
That week would have made little difference year
ago. for no naval help could possibly have been
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, around the Horn be-
fore the deciding blow had been struck but today the
situation is completely changed because Of the canal
Long before hostile fleet opens fire Honolulu, the
powerful wireless station there flashes the to the
mainland and Washington rises to meet the emergency.
Then will come of the beautiful instances of
relay work that navy performed the guess of
a mere landubber is anywhere near right. What will
happen will be something like this
The reaching aerial station at Arlington speak
to every batteshp the Atlantic and in the Caribbean
as far as Guantanamo and Coon-and good part of
our fighting boats will always be there Then will
the swift rush the Pacific: not in the stately pro-
cession of naval review, but in deviltake hind
most fashion The swiftest of
scout cruisers land they will then
A.