ARMY & NAVY: Wart on the Pacific

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ARMY & NAVY

Few thought seriously of a rearmament program last year when Congress ordered the Navy Department to report on the need for new naval bases. Early this month when Congress got that report, everyone had heard plenty about rearmament. And last week one item on that program raised a major question of policy.

Geographic nub of the system of 23 new or expanded bases in the Pacific outlined by the Navy is the Island of Guam. A glance at the geography of the Pacific (see map} is enough to tell anyone why that 210-square-mile, mountainous wart on the Pacific may one day be a spot as important as Gibraltar. After the war Japan was given a mandate over the once German Caroline Islands. The Caroline Islands lie across the U. S. route to the Philippines, and Guam lies across the Japanese route to the Carolines. In 1922 the Washington Naval Treaty bound both countries to construct no new fortifications in the Pacific (with few minor exceptions), but four years ago Japan renounced that treaty.

Unless reports are false Japan is already fortifying the Carolines.

A strong U. S. base at Guam as proposed by the Navy Department in the report drafted by Rear Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn would place a standing force of U. S. planes, submarines and perhaps capital ships where they would be within practical fighting distance of 1) the Carolines, 2) the Philippines, 3) Japan—all well within an effective 1,500 mile radius of action. It would also make possible cooperation with Britain's air and seapower at Singapore in case Japanese tried to seize the Philippines and go on toward British and Dutch possessions in the East Indies.

In Tokyo last week a Japanese naval spokesman barked: ". . . Placing a gun against a neighbor's door. . . . Nothing but advanced bases for long distance attack upon Japan." In Washington Congressmen, including Idaho's Senator William E. Borah, grumbled their doubts, signaled tough going for the Guam plans.

Franklin Roosevelt quickly disowned personal responsibility for a fortified Guam. He simply conferred with Chairman Vinson of the House Naval Affairs Committee, let that gentleman introduce a bill authorizing $5,000,000 to dredge the harbor at Apra, make the island usable for planes. His real purpose was clarified by his secretariat, which approvingly referred to Columnist Walter Lippmann: "Congress should authorize the fortification of Guam, and then the State Department should invite the Japanese to discuss the question." (A U. S. threat to fortify Guam helped to win Japan's agreement to the 5-5-3 naval ratio and the stipulation against further fortifications in the Pacific which were embodied in the Washington Treaty.)