The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-03-30

Y APAN is taking the war lightly.
With her ammunition contracts
q with Russia; with prosperous
~ America buying her silk at good
prices; with good crops already reaped
and promising. and last but not least,
with the banner of the japanese mer-
chant marine reaching an ever-increas-
ing number Of ports, Japan is for the
first time in many years, if not in his
tory, 4 leading nation. writes Maynard
Owen Williams to the Christian Her.
aid.
Full speed ahead is the order of
the day in industrial and shipping cir
cles, and what has brought death aud
destruction to Europe has brought nc
tlvity and prosperity to the Japanese,
who's part in the war has been done.
From Tsingtau to Tsinanfu, the milf
tary flag Of Japan boldly waves above
the railroad, and the fine hotels of Ger
many's Pacific paradise are being
boosted in the tourist centers of Mix
ko, Hakone, Tokyo and kyoto. They
are under Japanese management now.
tn" tl!.y japanese cat is playing
with the ungainly Chinese rat, wonder
Ing whether to dcyour il or to make
friends. In mary newspapers there
are articles urging tho ACCESSIBILITY Of
making friends With China. but With no
other motive than eventually to reap
larger profits by such methods. No
where is there thought OF danger from
China in Il direct way. If the open
door promises profits, open door let 1t
be. But there is no consideration for
the opinion of America or Europe in
he argument. Japan has the onvied
but not enyiable habit Of looking out
for number one" whether it be in pub
licity, diplomacy or commerce.
Here in the beautiful Inland sea
Vulcan sweats and tolls that Neptune
may be conquered. The scene is one CT
enhancing beauty. Awkward samrans
and vhite-winged sailing ships, dot the
blue. Green hills shoot down to the
waters edge, and detached rocks, sur
mounted by %grOtesqne pines when
clin. with barred roots to naked stone,
jut from many q promontory.
Around the Inland Sea.
Tn the hollows between the hills lie
the villages, almost hidden i'll the deep
green Of stately trees over heather
temple and humble home. Terraced
fields, representing months Of patient
toll. Chamber IN the towering h~illSides.
1,,~ J.ar1 r,afinp npr 1T N
from being denuded here as she has
been behind the ill-smelling smelter at
Ashio. Graceful volcanic peaks rise III
every direction, pointing ~heavenWard
in some part of every fair prospect, In
which hazy hills melt away into the
soft distance.
A white lighthouse casts its Polyphe'
mus glance from Il %sugar-loaf OF wood
ed rock, and from shady points of van
tage q summer home or a picturesque
shrine dominates the view Of curvine
bay and craggy rock. But man has
conquered nature. In several small
harbors the rattle Of compressed-all
riveters beats an agonized tattoo or
the hollow bulls Of building ships. The
scent OF soft-coal FORCES robs the all
Of It's freshness and adds a smudge tf
the blue Of the vaulted sky. Through
the dark smoke the hot ugly glare o.
forge fires adds a dramatic red to TN
picture. The idyllic scene has beef
touched with the call for ships e
carry the worlds commerce., and tn
fair countryside frowns ut the twenti
eth century order, Full speed ahead.
At Kobe and Nngasaki giant cranes
cut the skyline in Jagged contour, ans
the English-speaking tourist IS greet
ed with signs a blind man could read
81 ,OOO-ton floating dock" 1t Is the way
that the artistic Japanese N his fan
land has responded to commerce ant
p4Dlicity and modernism. Night ant
day the skeletons Of ships take OF
form and slip from the ways to maxi
room for more and larger vessels.
Japan's Navigation Schools.
Yesterday, here on deck. within sigh
of the Stars and Stripes that Captain
Rlckel has made 10 represent good VII
and friendship throughout the Inlnn'
SCI Of Japan. l had IN interview witt
Kobnyashi San. the principal Of one Q
Japan's ten navigation schools. Ill
former students nrc now sailing tn
seven seas. Most Of them carry witt
tbesn 4 personal Introduction ~ mis