The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-07-25

That spiritual self defense nth
which men armor themselves against
Inevitable fates had not given way un-
I'll the administration announced the
surrender OF the city Of New York and
its two great forts. with the statement:
.The president assumes full respon-
sibuity. After a careful examination
of the situation In person he issued or
ders, as commander in chief Of the
armed forces OF the United States, that
the army in the field should offer no
opposition"
Then the west began to fear with a
great fear that its Pacific coast was
not safe after all. It thought. ap-
pnlletl, that an enemy so formidable
and successful. confronting opposition
so futile, might succeed In breaking
the defenses OF the Panama canal as
easily as he had broken the defenses
of the Atlantic.
But the Panama canal was being
held. The United States feet, having
failed to prevent the hostile landing on
the New England coast, had turned at
once to defend the one vital spot that
it could protect even against superior
numbers That was the Caribbean en-
trance to the canal
It raced there under forced draft.
It surprised and destroyed an inferior
force Of cruisers and batt,eships that
the enemy had stationed there for
blockade. Again it was mathematics.
Tho foe. forced to assure himself
against attack on bis transports on
the New England coast, had held all
his powerful ships north OF the Amer
lean feet. The weaker blockaders in
the south, facing guns of superior
range, ships CT superior speed and SUI
perior volume OF gun fire, went down
to destruction without even the salts
faction Of biting hard as they died.
The Panama defenses were perfect
This precious possession was one
American possession at least that could
be held to the last. It's guns were
fully installed. 1t Ind ammunition
Its range finding systems and its sys-
TENS of fire control were complete
Without the navy It. too. would have
been sorely weak in men and would
have been open. like Americas cont-
mental defenses. to attack from the
land. But with the naval forces 1t was
able TO hold OUT.
The navy was ready to throw; men
ashore to meet any attempt at land
ings along the coast. The navy's tor
pedo boats and desroyers crept to sea
in the night and guarded all weak
places. The American submarines,
with a safe harbor for base, worked
under ideal submarine. conditions.
When the hostile navy, freed from the
task of protecting its army, at last
appeared In force of the isthmus ir
dared not institute anything like O
close blockade.
1t dared not even venture In to bonn
bard. There we've sixteen inch guns
at Panama. 1t was an object lesson
for the United States. Exactly thus.
had there been an army to protect
them the Atlantic coast defenses could
have defietl any attempt from the sea
to force harbor.
The enemy navy, Overwhelming as
It was, could do nothing except to wait
and watch
The news of Panama's safety was
the'first and only good news that had
been given to the country since the
declaration of war. The relief that 1t
gave was so great that the people re-
ceived almost with equanfmity the
news which followed-that word had
come from spies Of the arrival OF more
transports in Boston harbor and Mar
raSansetr bay, bringing forces estinat-
cd at figures varying from 10000 to
100000 more men.
Soon, after this landing had beesa nc
complished cavalry and light artillery
moved northward through VerEsont-
They seized and occupied in force Bel
lows Falls and the White River, Wells
River and st. Johnsbury functions OF
the Vermont railroads. This cut the
last communication of New England
with the United States. 1t gave the
invader absolute command OF the St
Johnsbury and Lake Champlain rail-
road. the Central Vermont, the Maine
Central. the Boston and Maine and
the Rutland branch railroads. Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont were in
his power like the rest of New Eng
land. Blockaded from the sen and cut
or from railRoad connection with, the
interior. they we're subjugated even
without the unfolding OF forces that
now began through their area.
The few big cities of the three states
could offer 10 resistance. Within q
few days the conquest OF all New
England was complete. Not a word
came out OF 1t to the rest OF the Unit
ed states. The city OF New York was
equally sealed. Nothing was permit
ted to pass out of the gagged and fet-
tered town The messages That storm-
ed Mt it were delivered to ccnsors, who
did what they pleased With them anu
passed practically pone to the persons
for whom they had been destined.
There had been an official notice on
the front pages OF all the New 1orK
newspapers on the morning a1.er tne
occupation:
ALI. AsSEafBLAGES OR GATH
ERINGS ON THE STREETS ARR
STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
onnrn on nHE MILITARY