Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-04
ARMY OFFICIALS
JOIN With NAVY:
iNDEFENSEPLEA
Proposal is to Make Coasts OF
U. S. Safe BY Construction
of 300 New Submarines .

- 80 d
WASHINGTON. D. C.. August go
without a greatly Increased number
OF submarines for our navy the pres.
ent movement for military prepared.
ness I'm this country viii appear 10
the other nations Of the world as fn-
effective and absurd" according to
statement today OF the National De-
Tense League.
- This. II, brief, Is the substance OF
the information which VIII be given
President Wilson within the next few
days in connection with his effort TO
ascertain all things, needed TO put
this country in state OF better pre-
Iarednegs for war. Primarily, the de-
iflsnd for big Increase In submarines
comes from the navy officers and ma
val experts, but II is significant that
this request is backed up by army
oficers Of high rank. Particularly
among the coast artillery and the
coast fortification experts is there q
strong demand for submarines.
The explanation OF this lies In the
fact that there are at various points
on the shores ri the United States por-
tons 81 the sea which can be pro-
tected only by submarines. This is
because Notifications are not built SO
that the guns may sweep these wa.
ters, and the currents are so swift and
nngoyefnable that mines can not be
placed in them with any hope OF defin-
tie results. RI
There has como about, therefore,
the unusual spectacle OF a group OF
army officers joining navy Cheers In
the demand for better submarine pro-
lection That this will have pro.
found effect on the president In the
preparation of his recommendations
to Congress In behalf Of greater pre-
paredness Is accepted as certain in
Washington.
A big American submarine building
company. according 10 reports receiy.
ca here today. Is operating In Canada
SO successfully that. as soon as the
submarines are completed for the Al
lies, they are put into the water and
sent across the Atlantic under their
own power with full war equipment
and ready to meet the enemy The
building in Canada, which is devoted
10 assembling boats Of the Holland
type, Is made necessary because Of
the international law against building
them In the United States and then
sending them to the Allies.
A submarine costs about half q mil.
lion dollars. Three hundred subma.
fines flying the Stars and Stripes
would cost less than a week Of actual
war, the authorities estimate, and
since q submarine can DESTROY any
battleshlp that float, flotilla Of 200 of
the under.sea craft would be an un-
failing insurance against invasion by
/. q foreign foe at any time
The president will be told that now
Is the time to engage the talent and
companies SO that not all Of their out
put can be sent to foreign countries.
The National Defense League. which
win hold q great conference on ma
tIonai defense In Washington, octo-
Der AZ. Immediately following the
Grand Army OF the Republic encamp-
ment. has for years persistently advo
Gated large appropriations for snbma.
rines. Some OF the officers Of the
league declare that the United States
should have not less than 800 Of the /
undersea boats.
With 800 modern submarines the
United States could defy the world to
successfully land troops on American
soil.
This statement was made recently
BY Lieut. G. r. Morrison. chief aide
on the stan OF Rear-admiral Grant.
commander OF the Atlantic submarine
tiotilla and considered the most fore
most expert on undersea craft
There is not a foreign nation. or
even q combination OF nations, that
could successfully land sufficient
troops on American soil to combat
even our present army" declared
Lieut.. Morrison. @ =