"One of the important problems of the United States in relation to its policy in the Pacific and the Far East is the defence of Guam. Rear-Admiral Hepburn, chairman of a special naval commission, told the naval' committee of the House of Representatives on January 26 that the construction of a naval base at Guam, with 18 to 24 submarines, 48 to 60 naval planes, some army planes, some infantry with artillery and anti-aircraft guns, reinforced by 12,000 seamen, would ensure the defence of the Philippines.
On the previous day the Chief of Naval Operations said the fortification of Guam would enhance the defensive power of the American fleet, and improve the value of the island relative to the fleet, so that even if the United States abandoned defence of the Philippines, the fortification of Guam would serve as a check against a raid; and that when the island's defences had been brought to perfection it would make invasion of the Philippines impossible. He argued that if the Philippines were occupied by any other country the United States would lose the route by which it gets its supplies of tin and rubber, from the Netherlands East ladies.
Now the fact that American auth-critics have brough: {crward these plans at this juncture, when the United States is not jeopardized by any such menace es they advertise, merits our most careful attention.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.