Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-09
HEADS ISLAND POLICE
CHIEF OF THE FORCE OF FOR
MoSA IN NEW. YORK.
Hurrying Home After Studying the
Methods Of Big
Cities

NEW YORK. February 9-K. oshima.
who is the Gen. Bingham of Formosa and
looks the part from the first inch of his
six foot two to the seventy fourth. not to
speak of his long and curling black mus
tache, stepped yesterday on the island Of
Manhattan from the White Star liner
Baltic.
The chief Of police of Formosa lighted
long cigar. very much after the occidental
fashion. smiled and shook hands with the
reporters and told them that he was hurry
ing home In obedience to an urgent sum-
mons from the mikado The big, ,amIable
Japanese, probably the most sizable of his
race outside of a museum that ever put
foot In this town, found time to talk
about his own force in Formosa and about
a few things he had learned in his study
Of the police systems of Europe.
Save for his swarthy complexion, high
cheek bones, beady black eyes and a GER
tain carefulness IN speech which charac-
tertzes his countrymen. K Oshima looked
like well-to-do European about to tour
the United States-even to his big cigar and
the overcoat with its lambs wool collar
and cuffs. After a good look at the chief
nobody doubted his statement that he ruled
10000 japanese policemen on the island of
Formosa and had good grip on his job.
He spoke English well.
Tour Of Observation.
He was sent westward several months
ago by the Japanese government to visit
the principal cities of Europe and the
United States and study the administration
of police departments
L had just completed my observation in
Berlin, having already been in London and
other cities, when a cablegram from the
emperor reached me- said K. Oshima. Il
do not know what 1t is that calls me home
no of Of tp,
portance or the cablegram wouldn't have
been sent by his majesty.
1t Is difficult to discuss the respective
merits Of the police systems of London
quite different in their essentials. Nor can
l give you an idea of what, in my opinion,
Is the best method of policing a great capt.
tai. am not unfamiliar with police admin
istration in New York city. although have
never been here before, because L took a
great interest in 1t and studied 1t from
what data were available. You have an
unusual problem here-unusual geograph-
many streets. many Of them not converging
at all; an enormous population, and. be-
sides, other parts of the city which are
quite separated by large bodies of water. I
difficult cities in the world for effective po-
lice work because Of the geographical Pc
culiarities."
Good Reports Of Bingham.
Chief Oshima thought he would like to
meet and have a talk with Police Commits
sioner Bingham but his time was extremely
limited and he was doubtful IL he would
have the opportunity. He had heard, he
said. excellent reports of Gen. Bingham as
a police executive.
In Formosa," said the big chief, I'VE
have our own problems The island is 400
miles long and fifty miles wide, containing
population of approximately 100000. Our
police force is small-only 10000 men-of
which $500 are japanese and the rest ma
tive Formosans. After the occupation of
Formosa five years ago by the Japanese
there were five years in which we had some
trouble with the native Chinese, but we got
the situation well in hand and things are
now running smoothly. The headquarters
Of the police force is at Taihoku, the prin-
cipal city of Formosa-"
X. OShima was asked as to what he
thought about the talk of a possibility of
war between Japan and the United States.
Nonsense" said he, pure nonsense. 1t
Is quite absurd from our point of view, and
1t must be from that of the American citi-
zen. Japan and America will never fight
because 1t would be the most foolish war
in the world. There is too much good feel
ing and too much real understanding of
each others motives between our people and
yours for war to be a possibility. The
two countries can do many better things
than to try and tear each other to pieces"