It should be to all America. to the PanAmerican Republics. to aid us to guarantee this vital American canal. not to the outside world. but for exclusive American use in time of war. The vital Importance of this canal to the safety of the United States is brought out in the war games worked out with great care at the Army and Navy War Colleges. In every case the nature of the war with an Asiatic power hinged upon our controlling the Panama Canal. If we control the canal and guarantee the safe passage of our fleet to a point beyond the exit. where it could form in battle line before being engaged by the enemy. as would be the case under the protection of the heavy guns of forts. then the enemys fleet would remain In the western Pacific and the war would be fought out around the Philippines and along the coast of Asia. On the other hand. if there are no forts and an enemy could form close in on the Pacific side and engage our ships one at a time as they emerge. or if by an act of war he could render the canal impassable. his Gov. ernment might promptly disavow the act. but the deadly work could not be undone. and our fleet. compelled to try the passage. almost superhuman in time of war. around the Horn. then the war would be fought out in the eastern Pacific. where the enemys armies. with large transportation. would promptly seize all our outlying possessions and occupy our Pacific slope without any possible chance of serious resistance.