Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-04-21
WEEKS PLANS FOR AIRPLANE
ROUTES TO IsTRMUs CALL
ATTENTION TO DANGER.
WATERWAY EASILY BOMBED
Hostile Attitude of Congress Toward
All Matters of National Defense May
Block the Efforts of the Seer etary
of War.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK

v
isthmus has brought sharp attention
to the general matter of the proper
defense Of the Panama canal Ii war
should come and an attempt should be
made to put the waterway out Of COM
mission.
The secretary of war has said that
he considers the two most important
points at which this government should
maintain troops to be Hawaii and the
Panama Canal Zone. When the canal
was constructed the airplane had not
been developed to the high point or
efficiency of today. Nevertheless prob
able aggressive action by planes
against the canal was taken into con-
sideration. Day by day in military
circles there has been study of the
defense proposition in connection with
the advance of aeronautics.
1t is recognized that If Uncle
Sans small fleet Is to be divided be-
tween the waters of the Atlantic and
the Pacific, the first effort of an
enemy having it's seat in the Pacific
ocean would be to damage the water
way in order to prevent the quick
transfer of ships and supplies to the
Pacific waters. Bombs from an arr
plane naturally are considered the
easiest means of putting the canal out
of commission. The great danger to
the waterway, therefore, is from
point above.
The United States has spent large
sums of money to make the canal safe
from attack overland or from the sea.
1t will have to spend more money to
make it safe against attack from the
air. The only way that it can be safe
guarded from bomb-dropping airplanes
is to supply airplanes enough to meet
and drive off raiders who are on de-
struction bent.
Safe Only From Surface Attacks.
In 1918, the year in which the wa
tiers of Gatun lake were turned into
the Culebra cut, now called the CALI
ard cut, and the year in which the
canal was opened for commerce, 1t
was reported that Panama was immune
from naval attack; that tremendous
fortresses capable Of repelling sea
forces, no matter how powerful, had
been constructed, and 1t was believed
that even If the American navy should
be destroyed by a foreign fleet. the
enemy could not make way with his
ships past the powerful batteries
which the United States had erected
in either ocean.
At that time the problem of defense
from land attack was more acute.
1t was realized tnat enemy ships after
having destroyed the American ships,
could land at points out of range OF
the guns of the Notifications, forces
strong enough to make their way
through the jungle and to cripple the
canals activities by short-range artil-
lery fire, even If the invaders event
ually were repealed.
Today the War department realizes
that an enemy wishing to attack the
canal VIII not be compelled to employ
a landing force. All that 1t would
have to do, in case the air approaches
were not guarded thoroughly by Amer
lean planes, would be TO send bomb
dropping craft from the deck of one
of its ships, depending upon its crew
to drop shell where it would do the
enemy the most good and the canal the
most harm.
Queer Attitude of Congress,
The whole trend of things in Wash
ington today seems to be toward the
doing away with anything which looki
like defense for the people or the prop
critics of the United States. Militar,
authorities, and the administration 1t
self, are fearful of the danger which
would threaten the Panama canal II
case of trouble, even with a small
power. If the United States were t.
have some little difficulty with I
minor country on this continent. Their
would be nothing to do to prevent tina
minor country from sending an air
plane over. the Panama canal to d,
its work of bombing destruction.
Judging from what has happened
seems likely that the President an
his war secretary will have trouble il
securing sanction for their plan to pro
vide means to protect the great water
way from at least partial destruction
In case of war or threatened war wit
any country anywhere. The canal cos
millions; it is essential to the safet
of the United States in case of attach
and 1t is essential to the Regeneration
of the shipping industries of the couI
try. Nevertheless, when suggestion
made that a few millions might b
spent in the way of insurance, tn
words of seeming wisdom fall upo
unheeding congressional ears. Toda
renewed study is being made of a
possible methods of defending the Par
anna canal against attack from an
quarter. 1t is unnecessary to say this
these plans include adequate airplan
protection