Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-21
Urges Adequate Naval Force
for Defense of the Coasts
on Atlantic and Pacific


on Atlantic and Pacific
Henry A. Wise Wood. chairman of
the conference committee on national
defense, of New York outlined today
before the convention Of the National
Security League IAN adequate naval
policy for the United States" which he
reduced, in part. to these terms:
Maintain at all times in the Atlantic
n force superior to that of Germany;
and
Maintain at all times in the Paclhc
a force superior to that of Japan: and
"Endeavor to protect the Panama
canal"
Mr.. Wood told something of what he
declares are the ambitions OF Germany
and Japan. and said. in part;
IF we intend to defend our POSITION
in the northern continent againsl m
vasion directly by way of the Atlantlc'
sidered: if against invasion directly by
way of the Pacific we have lo,9iO
miles to be dealt with.
Immense Coast Lines.
THE north and east coasts of South
America measure $500 miles. and its
west coast $500 miles. If it be our
intention to continue to support the
Monroe doctrine we shall have to de-
fend in this hemisphere 1920 miles
of coast upon the Atlantic side and
1920 miles upon the Pacific side. or
upon both sides, 30,460 miles, which Is
considerably more than the circum-
ference of the earth.
The foregoing makes IT pialn tnat
these coasts cannot be defended from
within. but must be defended from
without. if they be defended at all. For
this purpose navy Is needed. IL pc
comes necessary. therefore. to deter
mine what is a navy sulnclent LOT the
purpose, in size and kind
"Turnins now to the subject OF our
policies. it may be said with accuracy
that we have no foreign policies at
the moment With the destruction OF
our citizens, while upon foreign mer-
chant ships or upon our own mer-
chant ships, we offer no armed inter-
ference, nor do we offer armed inter-
ference when our citizens, while upon
foreign soiI are destroyed, their wives
and children outraged. their property
confscated. Furthermore, it is to be
doubted whether at the moment we
are willing to enforce oy armed na ,ncfe
as are inimical to the interests OF
foreign nations. If. for instance. the
Japanese fleet, conveying troop trans
ports should appear on The s. coasts ,t Oh
l.
the command that we abandon our
| Asiatic exclusion policy or hight, and
the canal were blocked. / doubt not
we should instantly abandon our ex-
clusion policy.
Reaction Of Opinion.
| Therefore. to discuss a naval policy
for the United States at this time
would seem a mere academic occupa-
ton, were 1t not for certain indications
which are present that we are about
to experience a nation wide reaction
| of opinion. which cannot fail to crys-
tallize into a national spirit. a national
spirit finding expression in a definite
code of policies dealing with foreign
affairs in order to sustain which the
United States, II need be. will declare
war.
Germany is an expanding nation
with imperial ambitions as yet unreal
| lied. athirst for sea power wherewith
| to create for herself colonial empire
second TO that Of no other nation.
Finding herself beset in Africa and
| Asia by powerful rivals already in pos
| session. it Is not unnatural that she
| should have turned to the only remain
| ing continent which is occupied by
therein to set up the dependencies
| upon which her growth oversee de-
ponds. Nor is 1t surprising that the
| prosecution of this. her colonial policy
| in South America, which has been SO
| carefully outlined by her economists
| should have been held in allegiance thus
| far.
Germany. as events have proved,
! foresaw the necessity of effecting in
Europe a state of equilibrium whereby
| she should be made secure from at
| tack by neighborhood enemies before
undertaking extensive operations so
far aleld. Her decisive victory. or a
have secured for herself freedom of
action in the southern half of the west
ern hemisphere. must inevitably be
followed by a knock at the gates of
one or moro Of the Spanish-American
republics-this. unless the United
| States Is able to interpose the only
obstacle that 10 effective. superior sea
| power. Germany. as our general staff
| advises us. can land upon our shores
''If she be permitted to retain her
| present superiority to US in sea power
| then. in tho last analysis. We, having
in her a second master In the Atlantic.
| conformity with the wishes Of Germany
| also.
Japan. like Germany. Is an expand
ing nation having q definite mission,
aware that these may be realized only
by the exercise Of naval and military
prowess. Ambitious to dominate the
| Pacific, DESTROYS Of q base near the
canal. and determined to secure for
her citizens in foreign lands the same
rights that are enjoyed by the citi-
zens Of other hrst-class powers, Japan
is q rapidly growing sea power TO be
reckoned with by US Japan. our gem
eral stan tells US, can deliver upon
our Pacific coast 23s.0oo men in sixty
three days. AZ in the cases Of Great
Britain and Germany We shall have in
Japan still a third master. in 80 far
as our western coast IL concerned, who
may then dictate our policies for q
time, at least, unless we possess in the
Pacific superior sea power.
| n}HApAncA IN MAfho ds