New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-01-21
CANAL DEFENSE
PLANS ARE MADE
HOUSE COMMITTEE. HOWEVER, is
GIVING LITTLE THOUGHT TO
DANGER FROM THE AIR.
TO PROVIDE MORE BIG GUNS
Entrance to the Waterway Already
Well Guarded, but Chief Menace,
Say Experts, Is in Attacks by Bomb
Carrying Planes.
BY EDWARD G.. CLARK.

~ ~ SSs'A
Carrying Planes.
BY EDWARD 6. CLARK.
WashingtOn.-The members of tn
house committee on appropriations 70
sea coast defenses and fertilization
"ure virtually agreed upon a plan t
make the Panama canal i~mpregnable.'
Can 1t be made i~mpregnable withou
Il great air force? To this question
SCI mingly, congress is giving littl'
though,
Senator Harding went to Panama
not long ago and came back deter
mined, ii is said, that something NOR,
must be done to hold the great water
way safe against the attack of al
enemy. The present plans seem to bt
to emplace some more big guns off thu
Atlantic and the Pacific entrances t
the canal. There are military mer
VINO say that congress should pay
chief heed to the subject of airplanes
and even to the layman there seems tC
be a good deal Of horse sense in this
proposition.
When the canal was completed, and
while 1t was being built, for that mat,
ter, the question of defense was un-
der discussion by the military experts
Always there must be taken into con.
sideration the possibility, and even
the probability, perhaps, that the
United States will lose command OF
the a AS things are today, how
ever, 1t would be exceedingly difficult
for an enemy fleet. eve if 1t held the
seas, to get near enough to the en-
trance of the Panama canal to do any
damage by Smelling
Entrance Well Protected.
The gray and green defenses on
Toro Point and Margucrhita island on
the Atlantic side and the islands of
Naon, Flamenco, perico and Culebra
on the Pacific side will serve the pur-
pose probably of keeping enemy fleets
at n safe distance. II Is proposed now
to mount great guns OF an island in
the Pacific which lies about ten miles
bOlSlut TIE DTtStIll utItIlStS.
An enemy fleet, having disposed of
the American fleet. would not be able,
as has been said, to even so much as
approach within ranging distance of
either entrance to the canal, but
there is nothing to prevent the great
fleet from covering n landing force
which possibly could make its way over
land through the jungle to the great
commercial highway, and perhaps, II
the force was strong enough, capture
1t, or, at any rate, put some part Of
II out of commission before being
compelled to retreat.
The airplane, probably, Is the great
est menace to the safety of the Pan
anna canal. The United States in the
big war spent n lot of money In get
ting ready TO build flying machines.
They are necessary to meet other fly
ing machines to prevent the others
from doing damage. There vii, be
nothing to prevent bombing machines
leaving the decks of enemy ships to
mike their way over the Panama canal
and drop bombs in sufficient numbers
to put some n of the locks out Of
commission.
There will be nothing to prevent this
niles like can be net by like. Anti
aircraft batteries are of comparatively
little service against airplanes. The
great war proved this. The aviators
did not fear the anti-aircraft guns In
the least. Ii was not "Once In a life
time that a plane was brought down
by the fire of ground guns. Air
Planes to meet ~alrplanes,' say the mil.
itary g
When the Panama canal was com.
the question whether or not the
outlying jungle offered a defense or a
menace to the safety Of the canal was
n matter Of controversy. Some mill
authorities said that the tangled
nature of the jungle made 1t almost
impenetrable for land forces. Other
military forces disagreed and said
1t offered the best kind of cover
for m approaching enemy force.
There Is a difference of opinion con-
the means for guarding the
canal. In 1916 the difference became
so marked that ranking officers of both
field and engineering experience were
sent to Panama 4 study the situation
md 10 decide between the contro-
rersalists.
Preparing for Inauguration Day.
Inauguration preparations are go
ng on at a rapid pace. Local COM
have been formed with lists
II names that read like pages
the blue book of the local
lristocracy and the Congressional
Directory. If any mar or of
'o-called standing has escaped, he or
he probably will be heard from In a
or two, and an additional name
n two will be blazoned on the rosters
# committees.
Very soon now The sound of the
will be heard on the avenue
The great thoroughfare called penn
ylvania" which sweeps onward from
he Capitol past the treasury build
and the White House soon will be
med with grandstands from which
he populace. by paying a properly
egulated" price. will be allowed TO