The Washington herald., 1921-12-25


10 respectfully suggested that an
other contribution would be an
adequate defense of the Philippine
Islands. Undefended valuables act
as Invitations to aggression.
beg leave to remind the reader
that the islands passed into our
possession on May /. 1888. when a
little American squadron command
ed by Commodore George Dewey.
U. g. n, defeated . Spanish feet
In Manila Bay. the governor-gen-
eral having ordered the Spanish
feet to take q position so far away
from the guns of Manila that they
were dissracefully unsupported.
was the navigator OF the U.
s. q Petrol in that battle. had a
perfect view OF everything that
happened, remained IN the Philip
pines for twenty months afterward.
and have ever since kept q fairly
close watch on the happenings
there.
After . long period OF intecision
the United States finally determ-
ined TO keep the Philippines (not
to exploit, but TO make safe for
self government-Ed), and took
proper steps to fortfy the ap-
prooaches to Manila especially Cor
regidor Island
japan Leaps Ahead
| ned that the Philippines were ade-
quately defended But suddenly. in
1905. Japan Jumped into the first
rank among the nations by her
amazing victory over the Russians
at the naval battle Of Tsushima
Then instantly It became spparen;
that Japan had become q naval and
military nation of such strength
and skill that our defenses could
not protect Manila should she ever
become an enemy.
II followed that our only hope in
that case would be TO recapture
them, after Japan had taken them
The navy undertook TO solve the
-problem; but the-dffneuities In the
way OF providing the necessary
coal. oil. ammunition and other
supplies needed to maintain our
fleet 1000 miles away from home
were found almost insupersble
In the winter Of 1s10-1s11 / was
a member of the general board OF
the navy, in charge Of the wal
plans Having been impressed with
the flight of Bleriot across the
English Channel in 1903, IL oc-
CURED to me that the Gordiar
Knot in which the whole situation
was tied UP might be cut with
airplanes-
My plan was to provide a large
number OF airplanes in the Philip
pines which could simply droI
bombs on the small. open boats in
which the troops of any invading
army would have to go from their
transports to the shore. As thi,
idea was ahead OF the times. / wa,
not able to make II seem feasibl,
to the Navy Department.
Points Out weakness.
Its feasibility was made eviden
to even the least imaginative per
son when airplanes sank a moderl
super-dreadnought a hundred mile
out at sea last summer.
During the time that I wa. al,
for operations, from February. 1911;
to May. 1915. was unable to &C
complish anything toward carrytn,
out this project: because the ad
ministration held thai the Philip
pine Islands should be given TO tn
Philippine tribes. This condition
continued until March 4. 1891.
Meanwhile II became increasingl,
difficult to make plans for recaptur
ing the Philippines IL they wer'
ever taken by Japan. because tn
improvements effected in subms
rine., submarine mines. bombs. air
plane and poison gases made tn
problem OF preventing recapture in
creasingly easy.
As long as the Philippines remain
undefended our strategic position
relatively to Japan will remain un
favorable
II two men have a conflict OF In
terest about an important matter
and one man has II in his power Z
infict on the other a great intur,
OF any kind. he has the advantage
Similarly, any nation which is abb
to do a great injury to anothe
whose interests may conflict wit
hers has the advantage over her.
Hostage to Japan.
II was IN order TO obtain such a
advantage that a nation has on oc
casions demanded hostsges-that Il
important persons who would b
pAeed in the possession Of the frs
nation and be at its mercy in cas-
the second nation should fail to d
as the first nation wished IL to do.
Now the Philippines at presen
constitute a hostage in the power o
Japan. Since they are exceedingly
rich and cover an area OF 1880
square miles (three-quarters that o
Japan and equal to New York Stat
and all New England States. com
bined), they are even a more I'm
portant factor in the Far East stu
alton than a mere hostage would be
The mere killing of hostag'
would be OF little material benefi
to the country holding him: but tn
taking of the Philippines would con
stitute a material acquisition OF tn,
utmost value to Japan Besides. !
would get rid of continuous threa
on the flank Of her trade routes q
the Mediterranean.
Some persons may think IL wront
that I should publish these facts
and thereby give valuable sugges
tions to Japan. But Il am sorry q
say) Japan is a nation OF inner mil
itary intelligence than we and un
derstands military matters better
The japanese are distinctly a milf
tary nation and We are distinct,
nm nnmilitary nation II any mai
thinks that We can teach the Japan