Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-03-30

is, the national capital and an immense
~ important naval base. 1t is far
along in our plans TO speak o. The very
desirable proposition of the Delaware
and Chesapeake canal as ship canal,
but it is easy enough to see what ii
forces and to the security of our coast
ing trade in case of war.
Just now the adequate defense Of
Chesapeake bay entrance is the main
consideration. for we have left that
stable door" wide open as we lave
also the Delaware bay entrance. 1t Is
therefore idle to talk too much theory
when our practice is so elementarily
careless.
The first commanding strategical
point in connection with the Panama
canal and its approaches is Key West.
Its main Importance is in its relation
| to Cuba, whose political integrity we
| are pledged to defend Cuba is IN eff
feet, as far as Guantanamo is concern
ed. the absolutely undefended main
land of the United States. since it is
| up to us 10 defend it from invasion
and we have taken no steps thus far
| to do So
In considering the defense of the APP
proaches to the isthman canal route
| In the Atlantic and Caribbean. the
most striking fact is the commanding
| position Of Great Britain, with Bermu-
da less than 700 miles from Cape Cod.
| Sandy Hook and Cape Henry. and
with the Bahamas, Jamaica. st. Lucia,
Barbados and Trinidad commanding
the approaches of the canal from all
directions.
The Panama canal defenses, al
though lacking considerably in gun in
stallation. mobile troops and secret
service protection, present the ideal of
position. strength and resources, in
that 1t is hardly conceivable that an
enemy would be strong enough TO OPP
crate against ii in both oceans at the
same time. and we may easily main
tain uninterrupted communications by
way of either the Atlantic or the Pa
cifc, whichever at the time is not I'M
der the enemy's control.
Our Pacific Possessions.
ii will be noted that the positions
which Germany held in the Pacific are
now held, possibly only for the mo-
| nient, in other hands, thereby upset
ting that balance of positions which
gave no one country too great a DOM
| nance for our own future good. We
| have, to be sure. recognized the Singh
| lar strategic importance of the Hawai-
ian Islands by half heartedly provid-
| ing some of the defenses Of Oahu is
land and Pearl Harbor
| Any one really alive to the actual
situation in our Pacific possessions
must feel grave misgiyings as to our
future on that ocean. An ounce OF
| prevention now is worth several tons
| IN the future IL our relations become
strained. and the remedy lies in intel
ligent appreciation and conservative
but definite action.
Without going too deeply into an
! analysis of the strategy Of the Pacific
| there is one thought which we must
dismiss from our minds, and that Is
that we are really ever going to allow
any one to tell us TO get out of Guam
| and the Philippines or that the moral
| and economic interests of the world at
large will be otherwise than definitely
set back by our doing so. On the con.
trary. history will vindicate the ac-
QUESTION Of the Philippines as an act
OF broad craftsmanship. through which
we will eventually solve the question
OF our economic relations with the
| peoples Of the far east by that exhibl.