Seward daily gateway., 1925-03-28
Asiatic ManeuVers Will Tell Wheth- CT Pacific Coast Is Protected by It's Islands or If It Is Open to the Far East

It's islands or If It Is Open to the
 Far East
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Mir. 2S.- When the Pacific battle fleet noses it's way out of the Golden Gate on April 15 and heads for the Hawaiian maneuvers it will represent the most powerful American armada ever sent into action. When it returns from the war games, the army and navy chiefs believe they will know whether Hawaii the key to the Pacific, can hold off an enemy from the Far East or whether California, Oregon and Washington are open to invasion.
 Japan could take Hawaii in three days with her fleet and aircraft according to the testimony of Briga- dier General William Mitchell, assist ant chief of air service, before the house Investigating committee. He charged lack of cooperation between navy and army units at Hawaii, in sufficient airpanes and anti-aircraft guns, and that our defenses in the Pacific are practically nil
 Every military and naval authority in Washington comedies that an enc my by capturing Hawaii could domi- nate the Pacific and the western coast of the United States, but most of them believe that the maneuvers will disprove NIitchell's charge of un- preparedness
 A Six-Week Test.
 Six weeks will be devoted to the test of attack and defense before the fleet at Hawaii divides on June :, part to return to San Francisco and part to continue on the Aus tralian cruise
 After leaving the Golden Gate the commander of the fleet, designated the Blue" forces, will receive wire less order 10 attack the Hawaiian isla n d $. designated the Black forces At the same time the army and navy forces no the islands will receive radio warning of the i'm pending attack.
 Under the joint umpires, the chief of staff and commander-in-chief of the United States fleet, the test will be carried out under conditions ap- proximating war as closely as pos sible. When ships are assumed to be put out of action by coast de lenses, their commanders will be mo- tified they will hoist a special sunk" flag, and proceed to an "out-ofac- ton" area. Coast defenses will like wise be silensed when they are out ranged or their defenders outnum- bered and judged overcome.
 For the purposes of the test it is assumed that the islands do not be- long to the United States.
 The twelve most powerful dread naughts of the fleet will participate, with an aggregate displacement of 376,20O tons. in the three full battle divisions, consisting of cruisers, de stroyers, submarines, aircraft and auxiliary craft, sufficient to repair and keep the grand fleet afloa-.
 The attack will be centered on Oahu, the principal island and the
 
 Practically all calibers of guns and mortars comprise the cOas- defenses of Oahu including iwolve-inch rail way mortars, 155-mm. guns, three inch anti-aircraft guns and 24o-mm howitzers.
 Before the island can be attacked, the attacking fleet mus have gained at least temporary supremacy over the defending naval forces Then the enemy must get through the air craft defenses, and finally land ma rines to take the garEisons from the rear.
 To Silence the Guns.
 "In order to reduce Oahu" accord ing to hign militar' official here, the heavy gun defense would have to be silenced and this would be an exceedingly difficult undertaking for q fleet. It is thereiolt very proba ble that landing wouli have to be made. The transports would be ex- posed to air attack and long range gun fire, the landing force would meet strong oppositic1 ill getting ashore, and even If it succeeded in landing, would have to overcome the entire garrison.