The Washington times., 1921-03-27

These innocent looking, hat-bot-
toned crafts are the fastest boats in
the Hawaiian waters. They make,
from ten to snftrep kpots.J A. cpusid-
serab1e number have 4 sailing radius
of 1.2o0 miles. and most OF them
carry gasoline enough to take them
500 miles and return.
Some are sixty feet long. The
medium-sized m ones can easily trans
port nifty or sixty men. They carry
crews of from three or four to fifteen.
and IT is known that many. especially
the captains and engineers, have
served In Japan's navy.
JAPANESE NAVY HAS
SUPERIOR INFORMATION.
These fast crafts nit about the
island waters. They know every
cove. every reef, depth of water
everywhere, tides and currents and
winds. In consequence the japanese
navy knows infinitely more of these
important details than does our own
navy. They 'show their heels" to our
smaller boats, and our single revenue
cutter and an occasional old destroyer
sent for . visit to the islands cannot
keep tab on such q mosquito, swarm
as this
Beyond deubt the sannass and
their crew. weuId prove most trouble
soae In the event Of war-as pilots,
n sples, ~ eo1rsevs, n lighters t.
carry soldiers ashore from transports
and food and s1munYtion from supply
ships, a. tr.nsports to carry soldiers
between islandA
Besides these fisherman sailors,
there are approximately 10000 adult
male Japanese in the islands. 1t Is
estimated that at least 80 per cent
OF these, or $4,000. have served In the
Japanese army; most Of them are
still under forty-five years of age.
That the American military position
lin the Hawaiian islands is essentially
weak will be admitted by every we'll
informed army or navy officer. 1t Is
time that the American people rid
their minds of the buncombe concep-
ton that we have there a "Gibraltat.'
Owing to lack of appreciation in
Congress OF the strategic Importance
of the islands in the defense OF our
entire Pacific Coast, we have but the
beginnings of adequate fortihcations.
We have a partially completed naval
base at Pearl Harbor. Because the
plans provide for the greatest naval
base in the world. we generally as
sumo that we have II already; we
haven't, and what we have might be-
come a Japanese naval base in the
event of war because II 10 defended
by insufficient batteries inadeQuately
manned.
1t is the known intention of the
War Department to station approxi-
mateIy 10000 soldiers on Oahu, includ-
ing infantry. cavalry, field artillery.
coast artillery and other units But
we actually, as IL also known. have
but IL 900 there, for the reason that
we have barracks to house only that
number Congress has appropriated
$500, 900 for more barracks. but Ii will
be a long time before they are built
and soldiers moved to the islands.
laps WILL STRIKE
WITHOUT WARNING.
Every military expert comedies
that II Japan decides upon war in the
near future. she will strike without
warning. without aid from. Japan.
Japanese in the islands will take all
Of them but Oahu and put all Ameri-
cans on them in concentration camps.
Bases will be. established in remote
bays, and from these will be directed
the siege OF the Island of Oahu.
1t is admitted that our forces on
Oahu will have to stand a siege OF
four months before our navy can be
made ready TO go out and drive away
the besiegers; and they can't stand 1t
that long unless we get rumblings of
approaching war sufficiently startling
to Jar us into preparedness.
Consul General Yada, at Honolulu,
10 one OF the ablest men in the Jap
anese consular service-possibly the
ablest. He was with the japanese
| legation In the City OF Mexico In 1905
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