The Washington times., 1939-01-30

Rear Aomira, Arthur To turn Guam into an Ameri-
Hepburn, u sN can Singapore would cost, Admiral
Hepburn estimates about S150,000000 Other author
ties estimate that the job would take from five to ten
years to compete-assuming of course, that we were
not h!ndered by unfriendly powers before the work
was finished.
The idea would be as follows, to use Admiral Hep
burns words:
We felt that if Guam made strong air and sub
base, with proper garrison the whole question Of
and United would reduced
to its simplest terms. If Guam made advanced
fleet base addition made and submarine
base felt the whole question the United States posi-
tion in the Far East could be settled.
The Admiral at another point in his remarks before
the Naval Affairs Committee admitted that Guam
advanced fleet base not essential to the defense of
the United States including Hawaii, Alaska and the
Panama Canal.
We think a Guam fleet base would be a mistake;
mistake which would be costly and probably would
be tragic.
We suspect that the primary
1he Philippines purpose of those who want to
AnJ 4L D:4:L make Guam fleet base is to
" WV strengthen our chances of de-
Tending the Philippines against attack from Japan.
The secondary purpose may we'll be to make ready to
cooperate with the British in an eventual white
yellow struggle for domination of the Far East and
the western Pacific.
We do not believe Guam fleet base would either
purpose Guam the study of the world map shows is
weak salient for Thus it is comparable to the Ger
weak salient at St. Mhiel which American troops
wiped out triumphantly, September 1920, 1918.
We'd better remember St. Mhiel before do anything
radical about Guam.
We should take measures defend the Philippines,
in the first place. We've granted them their ndepend
They much closer to the japanese than to U.S.
The leading Filipino politicians now want
OUT ny ear to obligate ourselves to defend them,
Gallant and to make tariff preferences for them
practically perpetual But that is all they
do want of US.
We can't defend them; we shouldn't favor them with
lower tariffs To begin serious work Guam naval
base would be invitation to Japan to and take
Guam-an invitation Japan would accept pos
sibe Or China should lick Japan in the present
and become strong and confident the Chinese, be-
ieve would throw out of Guam and take the Philip
pines anyway.
If we're to help the British fend off yellow sweep
toward the East Indies and AustraliaNew Zealand, the
place to concentrate strength is Hawaii, while the
British build another Singapore in New Zealand and
stock up eastern Australia with trained and NUM-
tions.
We could that base for Navy if necessary
Hawaii is about the distance from New Zealand
it is from Guam; and Hawaii is not weak salient
regards either defense of Pacific coast pos
sble British defense of white leadership in the
Far East
We think the white leadership fetish had better be
watered down considerably, anyway The yellow races
becoming raceconscous they resent and more
the way the white has planted military and
mercia ouposts among them and they learning how
to fight
We think the white man as a soldier is going to do a
fadeout in the Far Easthough trader, broker and
businessman he will probably do better than An
American doesn't have to an acre of land in
London to do business with British firms No more is
extraterroralty (meaning treaty ports and Interna-
tonal Settlemen) necessary for West-East trade.
Two Ships for One.