Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-09-18
)APAN'S POLICEMEN.
Police Force That Can Well Re.r
Comparison.
EDUCATION AND MUSCLE DEMANDED
With the Powers of a Police Justice Ha
Arrests or Releases Prisoneps-Some
Qualifications.

The Japanese police are nearly all
of the Samurai class. ] think that
force may be considered the most Der.
feet police in the world" says Lafcadio
Hearn, the well-known American
Writer. now resident of Japan. He
is right; there can be no mistake about
it. Some twenty years ago the Depart.
ment OF Police of Japan was modelled
ON the French system, and the result
has been interesting.
In the first place, the department ia
independent of the municipal govern.
ments of the japanese cities; in each
State or province it is under the con.
troll OF the Governor. The Keisatsn.
Blu, or police headquarters, of each
province, is in the capital city. while
all Oh the cities are provided with a
central office and as many substitutiops
as are needed.
In case of fire the police must act as
firemen.
Some of the qualifications that are
demanded in candidate for appoint
ment to "the force'' in japan must
seem extraordinary to Americans.
Each applicant for the appointment
must write short essay in the classics,
as we'll as in the modern Japanese
writing. He must also be we'll read
i'll the history of Japan, must UNDER
stand its municipal laws, must be
fairly good arithmetician, and-a sign
of progress, indeed must be able to
converse and write either in French Or
Englishl
The better result of the mental
qualification of our police is proven
by the fact that policeman can act
as police justice OH the spot. and is
thus able to dispose of a trivial offense
without making an unnecessary arrest
The physical requirements in an
applicant are much simpler. He must
possess good health, be free from de-
formity. and must be at least five feet
two inches in height.
After passing satisfactory mental
and physical examinations. the appli.
cant becomes police Hedging. He must
now spend six months at "prepara-
tory school," where he is drilled in
the science of police work. While in
this preparatory department he is not
policeman of full grade, but remains a
sort of apprentice until he completes
the whole course of study. Most i'm
portant of all his training now is the
"taljitsu," which is the Japanese
name for physical culture. 1t in
cludes the art of wrestling. which, as
the Japanese practice it, is secret
known only to the Samurai class. By
the aid OF this art. the athlete can fight
offensievly or defensively without
weapons, and can restore the unscon-
soious without the aid of spirits or of
medicines.
The "taijitsu," or art of breaking
muscles as it is sometimes called, does
not the least resemble Americans box
ing. By it's aid a man who weighs
1870 pounds is able to throw a man of
twice his weight.
Before the japanese Government de-
cided to adopt the taijitsu. or "art of
breaking MUSCLES" a 128-pound pro-
lessor of the art gave public contest
with heavy and muscular six-footer,
whom he vanquished with ease. The
victor was only feet 4 inches in
height, while the wrestler whom be
overpowered was more than six feet
tall and weighed over $50 pounds. and
his great size moreover was due not to
fat, but to the development of solid
muscle. 1t was like fight between
an elephant and lion, and the lion
won. In less than a minute the big
fellow was thrown to the floor, where
he lay senseless until restored by the
aid of the same "art of breaking mus
Giles. F"
Since then the science of taijitsu has
been higly cultivated. not only by the
police, but also by college and school
students, as in it are contained all
branches of physical culture. By the
way, l should think that a match be-
tween Sandow and one of these pro-
fessors Of the science of taijitsu would
be grand athletic test.
The Japanese policeman was first
equipped with heavy club about four
feet long and one inch and a-half in
diameter. Afterward this weapon was
abandoned for cavalry sword, for the
reason that the great majority of the
policemen were drawn from the
Samurai class. who were accustomed to
the use of swords. A few years ago
policemen were equipped with revolv-
ers and short clubs, which weapons
they now carry.
The Japanese policeman does not
handcuff his captive. He is provided
with small, but strong cord, about
six feet long, with which he ties the
offenders arms. compelling him, after
being tied, to preoede him.
AS our police force is drawn chiefly
from the Samurai class, who love
neither money Enor favoritism, but
honor and country, there is no such
thing as bribery.
In the Department of Police, there