The Springdale news., 1917-01-12

gross has been told that the isthmian waterway must be better protected than it is today, if it is to be saved i,. case of war with some nation which might attempt 10 seize it for it's own purposes. or, failing to seize 1t, might attempt its destruction to prevent its use by the United States.
 Plans already have been made for the adequate fortifying and garrison ing of the Isthmian Canal zone. Big guns already are in place on the is- lands off the two ocean entrances, the Atlantic and the Pacific. It may be, as some army officers view 1t, that the present forts outlying the waterway entrances are strong enough to hold off any navy which might attempt to approach the canal. Of course any enemy trying to get to the canal by sea would necessarily first be com pelled to defeat our navy before an attack could be made on the forts So, in sense, the forts are a second line of defense, but congress is to be asked to make them as powerful as if they were a first line of defense.
 Today on the isthmus of Panama there is brigade of troops command ed by Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards. It is intended before long to throw q whole division on the isthmus and of course to put 1t in command of ma 1or general. In the various armies of the world a division is an elastic c ha I,rhn army's full representation arrives on the isthmus there will be about 12,000 eaen there stationed,
 Must Be Defended on Land
 The problem of the defense of the canal Is not in the One-tenth part one of keeping an enemy away from the entrances. It is realized that if the canal ever is to be attacked, the attempt probably will be made by landing force which would be put ashore some 30 or 40 miles on one side or the other of the waterway, and would then attempt to force it's way overland from the canals banks. So It is that a big force of men is pre- sumed to be necessary as q waterway guard. If war came the forces at present contemplated for peace times probably would have to be doubled.
 The government today is studying the problem as to where to locate its troops in the Canal Zone Two re- ports already have been turned in by officers of rank, and as they are at variance one with the other, another report by another ranking officer act ing independently will be turned in In the near future. Not only the health of the troops, but the strategic value of the positions which they occupy must be considered when sites are se- lected for garrisons either small or large.
 Library of Congress.
 The people of the United States have I library of 2451, ,974 books to which they have only infrequent oppor- tunities of access. They also have housed with the books 154 200 maps and charts, 770,24S volumes and pieces of music and 392, 905 prints
 These are the treasures in the keep ing of Herbert Putnam, librarian of congress, and they constitute the con gressional library's collections. Dur ing the year that has just passed SS,- l0l books have been added to Uncle sans shelves.
 The congressional library, housed in q building said to be the most beau tiful i'll the world, is almost entirely Il hn Y,ltln iC hot only the president, senators and rep reSentatiyes in congress, cabinet off cers and other high officials of govern ment may take books from the library shelves for perusal in office or home The rule is violated frequently, always under the cover of the excuse that the books taken are intended for the use of some person who comes within the rule. In other words, private sec retaries and clerks to the favored ones can get books for perusal at their ease.
 Take 1t all Tn all, however the reg ulations are quite strictly observed. Every American citizen can read any book in the congressional library, pro yided he chooses to go to- the li- brary to turn its big reading room into study. This reading room. by the way, Is a commanding bit of architec- ture with its huge dome which lets in soft reading light and with it's many beautiful bits of sculpture, It's carvings and its tints and colors.
 Books of Great Value There.
 It has been said that any American citizen can read any book In the IT, brary if he will go to the reading room. So he can, but it Is probable that if he wants 10 see certain books he must read them under guard There are in the possession of the library printed books and munuscripts each worth kings ransom. The fear in the con. gressional library is always as the fear is in other libraries, that some precious thing may be stolen.
 Take for instance the original copy of what Is called the Elephant Edition of Audubon. Presumably the name Elephant Edition comes from the size