Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-18
JAPANESE FEAR.
TROOPS WOULD.
Be UNWELCOhE.
France Would Be Glad to
Have Help, but Doubt Elk
pressed as to the Attitude
Of Other Countries.
Two Million Trained Sol
diers Await Orders From
High Command, but jap
anese Consider Active
Participation Impractical.
BY RALPH H. TURNER,

| 49, SeSeCS~ ~ ~e~sS4s
BY RALPH H. TURNER.
Toxic. oct 1o.-(By Mail.)-Before
the allies can win this war with Rus
STA demoralixed, must half a million
Japanese troops be rushed to the east
Tern front to conquer the Teuton forces?
That question, uppermost In Japanese
thought today. Is apparently gaining
support in many Of the allied capitals.
Paris. particularly. according to dis
patches received here. sees the neces-
sity of such action.
But in Toxic, both popular belief and
the opinion heard in best informed
circles. failed to substantiate the re-
cent rumors that ere hostilities cease
the fighting men Of Japan will see
service in Europe. Failure of the re-
port to gain credence here, is not based
on any misunderstanding of the value
Japanese expedition might prove to
the entente cause.
Opinions differ in foreign circles as
to the strength Of Japanese arms
even the Japanese are not informed BY
their government as to their army's
strength. 1t may be accurately and
conservatively stated, however, that
mobilization orders would place two
million trained soldiers. armed and
equipped. ready for orders from the
high command.
STRENGTH or ARMY.
In Japans standing army today,
there are at least 100000 trained men,
members of 81 divisions. The war
strength of a division is 10000, but of
these probably not more than $1,000
could be classed as effectives, the bal
ance being nom ombatants used for
transport and other services. Two
divisions are stationed in Korea and
another In Manchuria- From both Of
| these points access to Russia would
not be difficult, over the South Man
churia and Trans Siberian railways,
assuming the latter in at least a work.
| able condition. And from Tsurga, on
the west coast of Japan. to Vladivos-
tok. 1t 10 a matter of about 4S hours.
But the fact that japan has the men,
| munitions. supplies. transportation-in
fact the whole machinery of war, does
not decide the question Of whether she
will lactually engage in the field.
Asked II his country will ever dis
patch an expedition to Europe, your
Japanese friend may reply that It is
impracticable, that 1t is not needed
that Japan has filled her part in the
conflict, or that the Japanese nation
would oppose such a move as being
incommensurate to the quid pro quo to
be gained, or that Japanese troops are
needed at home to preserve the "peace
Of the Far East" But he is also likely
to suggest another factor, q question
that more readily, perhaps, appeals to
the foreign mind-"Do the Allies want
us?"
ARE THEY WANTED.
France, yes, but how about England.
America and Russia? Are England and
the United States prepared to barter
for half a million Japanese soldiers at
the front and will the Russian pride
accept such a program? England and
America. 1t Is believed. might hesitate
over questions regarding Japan's posi-
ton in eastern Asia which would be
involved with more active Japanese
participation. As for Russia's atti-
tude, an idea is gained from an article
which the TOXIC Nichi Nichi published
from its correspondent. a Japanese. in
Petrograd.
Better a German peace than aid
from Japan" is the way Russia looks
at the proposition according to the
Nichi >Nichi correspondent, who then
summed up his conclusions as fol-
lows.
FEAR UNDUE DEMANDS.
''The Socialists, because of their dis
ike OF monarchy. have poor opinion
OF Japan. Since American participa-
tn, hn
shown all the more markedly. The
conservatives maintain that rather
than endure the disgrace Of Japan's as
sistance, Russia would suffer the in
dignity Of making. peace with Ger
many. The Socialists party fears the
wcr might be prolonged by the coming
| of Japanese troops. The cadets de-
clare that japan might make undue de-
mands a. compensation for SER
| vices"
Other japanese papers here are d.
vided in their views. The Hochi points
| out that should the entente powers be-
| come totally exhausted in their prose
| cution of the war, Japan will dispatch
a strong force to Europe to crush the
common enemy. Until such a time
arrives" It adds. ut is well for Japan
to keep her army at home for the
maintainance Of peace IN the Far
East"
Japanese troops on the Russian
front. or elsewhere in Europe. Is not
an impossibility. but unlikely unless
the German tide becomes rn,ch more
| threatening than is the case today.
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