Evening star., 1942-01-28

ample, Admiral ~ -
Joseph K. Taus- David Lawrence
sig was reprimanded and denounced
for his outspoken views before the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee in
April, 1910. He has now been re-
tired and is one of the few men of
virile physique who have not been
called to active service. He bids
fair to become another Billy Mitchell
in the military annals of America
for his point of view has been vindi-
Gated by the story of ineficiency and
lack of preparedness revealed in the
Roberts report.
Admiral Taussig advocated that if
our battleships were based in
Hawaii, a strong scouting feet
should always be maintained in the
Philippines. Had this been done
the japanese Navy, it is now argued.
would never have dared to venture
so far from the japanese mainland
with its aircraft carriers and fleet
units as was the case on December
and the days Immediately pre-
ceding.
Begged for Sound Naval Policy.
A rereading Of Admiral Taussig's
testimony before the Senate Naval
Affairs Committee showed that he
begged for a sound naval policy and
fleet protection for the Philippines.
He has for many years been men,
ber of the staff at the Naval War
College and served not only as chief
of staff to the commander in chief
of the Pacific Fleet but as assistant
chief of naval operations in WASH
ington. His blunt statement to the
Senate committee on April %, 1910,
which caused a sensation, was as
follows:
1--WE need be under no delusions
as to the aims and policies of Japan
The announcements of her states
men in answer to protests against
violations of rights of other nations
are of course worthless. The real
policies of Japan are embodied in
the declarations of her militarists
during past years and it is these poll
cies that are being carried out. '''
THE first step in their plan is
the domination of the Far East. This
is under way at present. with the
subjugation Of China. The Philip
pines, Netherlands Indies, French
Indo-China and Malaga will be
taken over in due course of time
Russia is to be driven westward OF
Lake Baikal.
The above is a very grandiose
plan and much may happen to in
terfere with its accomplishment
The fact remains, however, that it
is plan which is under way in the
hands of determined, warlike
people. armed with modern weapons,
with little or no effective opposition.
Past treaties, rights of neutrals, rules
Of civilized warfare as We under
stand them, are brushed aside and
ignored in the furtherance of the
plan"
Urged Fortifying Guam.
Admiral Taussig urged not only
the immediate enlargement Of the
fleet but the building of IAN i'm
pregnable base in the Philippines
and the fortification OF Guam so as
to make its capture impossible" He
advocated an immediate agreement
with Britain, France and the Meth
erlands for the use of their bases
in the Far East. At that time France
had not yet been subjected to the
blitzkrieg.
The admiral did not think q two
ocean Navy would be built right
away but argued instead for an
alertness and proper preparedness
on the part of the fleet units that
we did have. His theory was that
prompt cooperation with France,
Britain and the Dutch would have
furnished a sufficiently large force
to take care of any immediate sit
uation in and around the Philip
pines.
1t is Admiral Taussig's views on
the proper distribution of the Navy,
however, and what he terms the
organization Of the fleet that will
stand out as lessons which. if ac-
cepted, might have averted the
tragedy at Pearl Harbor.
incidentally, the son of Admiral
Taussig was seriously wounded in
the attack on Hawaii.
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