Speech #630418939

In case of war between us and an Asiatic nation we would be obliged to hold those islands or surrender them. Then perhaps the question of the supremacy on sea will come to us. and then. asstated by the gentleman from Illinois. the superiority of tie battleships inmidocean may be tested. Ifthose islands are protected by submarines their cities can not be attacked by any navy. If It Is necessary in the protection of those and other islands to maintain our supremacy -in the Pacific Ocean it is the only condition under which we can say that we would ever employ :a battleship. :But %Vho would reason if he had charge over the Japanese Government that it would result in any profit to Japan to have a war with the United" States? Now. in these war colleges where young officers are studying they give to one group 6f young men the problem of invading the United States from Asia. and they give to another group of officers the probleiii of defending the United States. and the conclusion is always reach ed that the final result of such an attempt would prove that :it would be.impossible for an Asiatic nation to effect a p~rmanent Iolgment or to maintain an army on the soil of continental United States. If a foreign army invaded Alaska. it would be almost impossible to maintain it there. The only daiger we c ould enebunter would be the loss of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippine Islands. and we are trying to get rid of all responsibility in the Philippine Islands.