Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-03-29
Y APAS Is taking the war lightly.
With her ammunition contracts
with Russia: with prosperous

With her ammunition contracts
with Russia: with prosperous
~ America buying her silk mt 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, 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 and
destruction to Europe has brought ac-
tivity and prosperity to the Japanese,
whose part In the war has been done.
From Tsingtau TO TsiEanfu. the mill
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 Nix
ko, Hakone. Tokyo and kyoto. They
are under Japanese management now.
The tiny Japanese cat Is playing
with the ungainly Chinese rat, wonder
ing whether to devour it or to make
friends. In many newspapers there
are articles urging the ACCESSIBILITY of
making friends with China, but with no
larger profits by such methods. No
where is there thought Of danger from
China i'm a direct way. If the open
door promises profits, open door let Ii
be. But there is no consideration for
the opinion Of America or Europe In
the argument. Japan has the envied
but not enviable habit of looking out
for number one" whether il be in pub
icity. diplomacy or commerce.
Here in the beautiful Inland sea
Vulcan sweats and tolls that Neptune
may be conquered. The scene is one of
enhancing beauty. Awkward sampSns
and white-winged sailing ships, dot the
blue. Green hills shoot down TO the
waters edge, and detached rocks. sur
mounted by grotesque pines which
cling with barred roots to naked stone,
jut from many promontory.
Around the inland Sea.
In the hollows between the hills lie
the villages, almost hidden In the deep
green of stately trees over heather
temple and humble home. Terraced
fields, representing months of patient
toll, Chamber up the towering hillsides.
Reforestation has kept mother earth
from being denuded here as she has
been behind the ill-smelling smelter at
Ashio. Graceful volcanic peaks rise in
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 a sugar-loaf Of wood
ed rock, and from shady points of van
tage a summer home or a picturesque
shrine dominates the view of curving
bay and craggy rock. But man has
conquered nature. In several small
harbors the rattle of compressed-air
riveters beats an agoniZed tattoo on
the hollow hulls of building ships. The
scent of soft-coal FORCES robs the air
of it's freshness and adds smudge TO
the blue of the vaulted sky. Through
the dark smoke the hot ugly glare of
forge fires adds dramatic red to the
picture. The idyllic scene has been
touched with the call for ships to
carry the worlds commerce. and the
fair countryside frowns at the twenti-
eth century order. Full speed ahead"
At Kobe and Nagasaki giant cranes
cut the skyline In jagged contour, and
the EnSlish-speaking tourist il greet
ed with signs blind man could read:
''7.OO0-ton floating dock" Tt is the way
that the artistic japanese ia his fair
land has responded to commerce and
publicity and modernism. Night and
day the skeletons of ships take on
form and slip from the ways to make
room for more and larger vessels.
Japan's Navigation Schools.
Yesterday. here on deck. within sight
of the Stars and Stripes that Captain
Bickel has made to represent good will
and friendship throughout the Inland