The Tomahawk., 1917-04-05

VIII Jl%<r<tfSO
SiOnarieS and Seamen'S homes through
out the world, signed by Captain Bicke;
and bearing hundred or more adj
dresses of potential friends from the
canal to the capes.
Kobayashi San speaks English better
than most Japanese, though he has lit
tie chance to practice. His work is on
the little island of Yugeshima, WHITTIER
the English-speaking traveller seldom
comes, but he has kept with him these
40 years the knowledge Of EnglisE
which he gained from an early mission
airy in Niigata.
With his sweeping panama, ST:
heavy beard and nustache, his vivaci
Gus manner, he would look as much
ut home in the Place de TOpera as ir
this lonely island Of the Inland sea
where one has storms for companions
and indescribably delicate sunsets 70,
friends. He is like no other Japanese
I have ever seen. Frank, full OF fun
witty, and, as he says, having "a bit OF
American in his head" he is as inter
csting in the way he acts as in the way
he talks.
IN the harbOr Of this Out-Of-the-waJ
island we were discussing the extern
sion of the American navy. Imagine
cowboy in the West giving thought tc
whether Japan built one more battle
| ship or adopted q new foreign policy,
"When you get these new ships
where will you get the men TO handle
them?" asked this principal Of school
in which hundred young men are tax
| ing the first three years Of a nine years
course to fit them to be captains OF
merchant ships. "You can build ships
in Il short time but it takes much long.
cr to build officers"
How Captains Are Trained.
He ought to know, for III the school
which we had visited. from fencing.
mask to sextant, chronometer, com.
pass and bowline, the whole equipment
is for the training of officers in Japan's
constantly growing commercial fleet.
The school grounds are spick and
span. The school garden contains no
weed. When visitor enters the study
room, there is Il quick command by the
student in charge, and every white
clad student is erect and at attention.
"I'russian methods" you say. Yes,
and all directed to the development Of
Individual worth and responsibilities.
These students are not to be stOkerS
but captains. No discipline is too strict
for the training of those who are TO
command.
After three years Of training in one
Of the ten schools, or IN the college in
Tokyo, the young men go to sea to
serve three years more. They would
become stiff and too old for training If
they stayed in school long. Three years
they serve as apprentices in active
service, with study every day and ire
quent examinations. They then have
second mates certificate. Three years
more of examinations and tests, and
the ant scholar can become captain
at twenty-eight.
The merchant marine in Japan is not
trade OF a last resort for drunken
ne'er-do-wells. It is career. Ihe
apprentice in training expects to be
treated as gentleman.
Japan's shipping is on the boom.
New lines are reaching out for trade
with the continents and islands Of the
seas. Japan is the coming Britain OF
the Pacific, the Phoenicia of the far
East. Heavy subsidies are pouring
profits into the pockets Of ship own
ers, and each vessel, from tug to liner,
is paying for itself every day the w2r
lasts.
Commercial connections are being
made in new territory. Many say that
these markets will revert to those who
held them before the war broke out.
But the Japanese are persistent ana
holitc. A passenger on one Of their
liners knows what it is to be looked
after. They are branching out in in
dustry, and wages are almost as low
as ever. Japan is sacrificing woman
hood and manhood to win world mar
kets. Other nations will DE slow to
pay the same price for gold.