Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-25
INVASION.


question, Can the United States Be
Invaded?" form a satisfactory answer
The first one is from Henry Waiter
son, editor of The Louisville Courier,
and is as follows:
There has never been a point in
our national history where we were
in less danger of attack. A break
with Germany would not be actual
war, but only a state of war. When
this wicked world war is over there
will not be another in the life of the
present generation at least. Its cost
will have been so enormous, its dis
closures so cruel and deadly, its re-
suits so futile that there may never be
another. In any event we shall have
plenty of time to put our house in or
der"
The second opinion is that of Sim
con Strunsky in The New York Even
ing Post, one of the most conserva-
tive papers in the country. He says:
In 1898 it took us IL days to trans
fer $4,000 men from Tampa to San
tiago. 'Ah,' you say, but we were then
inexperienced and are today ineffic-
lent Well then, here are the Japan
csc highly efficient. They admit it
we admit it. The Japanese in 1905
took seven weeks to concentrate in
Japan, transport and land in Lao
Tang peninsula, six hundred miles
away, General Oku's army of four d.
visions. Great Britain took two weeks
TO ship 10000 first line regular
troops across the channel-less than
thirty miles. England and France re-
CURED nearly three months to land in
SalOniki 100000 men from Marseilles
and Egypt. In each case the trans
porting power possessed undisputed
advantage Of the sea. England pos
sesses also the largest marine and the
largest experience. Yet we are asked
TO believe that any first class fighting
nation could land upon our shores
827 900 men in six weeks.
Germany is the DOGGY which the we
want haste and waste crowd now hold
before the nation. Yet there is nc
record that Germany has ever trans
ported overseas more than one ship
/ load Of soldiers at time. Her only
OVarSpaC warS hava baar hunb fuL4.
against savages in Africa. The Prus-
sian soldier for $50 years has tramped
his way to victory afoot; now he uses
railroads when possible. Never has he
crossed salt water to hostile shores
Germany may have the immense trans
port fotilla with which the alarm
lists credit her, but it has not been
much in evidence. Still, the Ger
mans are thrifty race, use what they
have and are not disposed to build
what they have small chance of using
Isn't it probable that If Germany DOS
sessed transport for even 100000 men
she would have sent an army to Pc
trograd by water route when Mack
ensen and Hindenburg made their
great drive through Poland and Gal.
icfa last summer? The Russian navy
presents far less of an obstacle than
our own; the capture of Petrograd
would have important military and
diplomatic effects, notably upon Fin
land. Yet no such effort was made
The only feasible conclusion is that
Germany feared to make it, either be-
cause she lacked ships or saw no
nope OF getting them successfully II
the Neva, 600 miles from Konigsberg
However, all this is forgotten when
the hectic boys proclaim that Ger
many can land $4,000 men on our
shores in six weeks, Drawing the feet
mines, submarines and coast defenses
II the war ends without Germany u.s.
ing her much Wanted transport SER
vice we can draw deep breath and
mold 1t as long as We like; her respon-
sible heads are too wise TO let the
maiden voyage Of their we'll hidden
transport be one OF 5000 miles"
The Argus gives these opinions. as
they coincide in some respects with
the opinion General Miles expressed
as 10 the invasion of the United States
IN his statements before the congress-
iona1 committee On ni litary affairs.