"The  Hawaiian  Islands  are  only  distant  from


WHEN  THE  BROWN  MAN  COMES        225

San  Francisco  a  few  hours  by  our  fast  warships
and  cruisers,  and  in  the  islands  are  at  present  80,-
000  Japanese — all  of  them  have  received  army  in-
struction and  they  know  their  duty !"  ^

Experience  at  the  Panama  Canal  has  amply  con-
vinced us  that  slides  are  at  least  possible.
"The  Americans  boast  of  their  Panama  Canal,
but  it  is  only  too  ridiculously  simple  for  us  to  dyna-
mite it  effectually — at  the  cost  of  an  old  steamship
loaded  with  explosives.
"Or  the  canal  can  be  instantly  dynamited  by  our
people,  who  are  living  quite  near  it,  and  before
anything  can  be  done  by  the  United  States  Navy
our  ships  will  be  in  full  possession  of  the  impor-
tant points.  .  ..
"And  before  the  United  States  warships  can
come  all  the  way  around  South  America  we  will
have  seized  the  islands !  These  lie  much  nearer  to
our  shores  than  they  do  to  the  United  States  coast,
and  it  will  be  a  very  difficult  matter  to  oust  us, —
our  navy  is  much  stronger  than  the  American,  bet-
ter equipped  and  better  officered.  .  ..
"The  Honolulu  group  of  islands,  however,  is
not  large  enough  to  adequately  support  our  coun-
trymen. We  can  seize  the  port  and  fortifications
(such  as  they  are)  with  the  greatest  of  ease,  thus
permitting  about  60  per  cent,  of  our  people  already
there  to  help  in  breaking  California's  shut  door."  ^

The  only  thing  the  United  States  could  do  to


226  AWAKE!  U.  S.  A.
prevent  a  landing  on  the  Pacific  would  be  to  send
our  fleet  around  South  America  or  our  soldiers
over  the  mountains.
