New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-09
By ADACHI KLNNOSUKE


Japan is to hand over to the United
States something like 100000 TO 500 600
tons of her steamships, according to
the messages TO the japanese papers
here. They are to be employed for the
transport Of American soldiers and
their equipment to Europe, as we'll as
munitions and other war stores.
In return for the steamships, it is
reported, Japan will receive from the
United States iron and steel plates
and other materials for the construc-
ton of new ships.
The details Of the negotiation are not
given. II is almost incredible that a
matter of such Importance could be
negotiated so quickly, and such an ar
rangement would meet with the most
vigorous opposition, not only from the
shipping circles Of Japan, but from the
people at large.
Japanese Oppose Plan
Just what the japanese government
thinks about it has not been recorded
What the people of Japan think of II
is not hard to find out. 1t is clear
They do not like the idea; in fact, they
oppose it bitterly. And by they" Il
meant a good many more millions OF
the japanese than the mere shipping
people. Not that they love the En-
tente Allies and the United States the
less. but that, being human, in spite
of Captain Hobson and Mr.. Lafcadio
Hearn, they love themselves just a
shade more.
Besides this, there are a number OF
other exceedingly human, even touch
ing. reasons why they would do almost
anything else before giving up the
cream of their merchant ships. The
ships mean to them infinitely more
than the American can possibly real
ize.
Began Building in 1896
The japanese government seriously
started to build up its merchant ma
rine in 1895. And il did il in the only
way it knows, by taxing the people for
it; it started in to subsidize the ship
ping companies. That year the gov
eminent meant to spend about $4,000
yen (about S290,000) year toward this
end. It was good deal of money, and
the sum looked more imposing to the
people of the country in general than
to the government. That year our car
penter was getting on the average 81
sen (l9 cents) day; the stonecutter
Al sen; the blacksmith, 1874 sen, and
the farm laborer, 207 sen. But what
the japanese government actually spent
that first year of the subsidy policy
was 100000 yen-nearly ten times the
estimated amount. And the govern
ment has been spending a good deal
more than that every year ever since.
In 1910, for example, it spent 9,S1C
600 yen (s4,905,000) for the route ex-
tension subsidy and 100000 yen for
the encouragement Of navigation and
1,l10,000 yen for shipbuilding encour.
agement-l2,7 900 yen, or $685., 900
in all. That is more than four times
the mining tax of the entire empire
And all these encouragements came out
of The pockets of the working class
who were earning less than 20 cents a
day.
The United States is talking of get
ting three million tons of ships in one
year And she knows. and everybody
else knows, that she has the ability to
get them, if only she would put her
expect the American TO appreciate the
Japanese feeling for her merchant
marine.
Growth of Ships Exaggerated
A bewildering lot of bunk has been
handed out to the general reading
public of the magic growth" of the
japanese merchant marine. Our read
er is told that the first modern light
house sent forth its light upon the
Pacific waves from the japanese side
on New Years Day, 1859. And right
on top Of that he is told that to-day
the Japanese tonnage ranks at the
very top on the Pacific. He is told
nat before the war the total shipping
on the Pacific was $4,000 gross, OF
which $4,000 tons, or 33 per cent, was
japanese. Now the total has fallen to
2s0 900 tons gross, but the Japanese
tonnage rose from $4,000 to l55, 600
that is to say, from 33 cent before the
war to 90 per cent now. And then he
is told that the American tonnage be
fore the war amounted to 81 per cent,
but that it had fallen to the dis
graceful level Of only 2 per cent of the
total tonnage on the Pacific at the
present time.
Japan has to-day, counting all the
old tubs and cripples, about 100000
tons of merchant ships. Within twelv
months from now the United States
will add to what she has at least $50
vessels, of the total tonnage Of $685.
76l. Add to this the 101 German ships
which were seized at the outbreak OF
the war, of considerably over $50, 900
tons. In other words, the United
States will add to her tonnage in one
single year nearly 100000 tons more
than that which Japan has succeeded
in building in half century.
u. S. Outstrips Japan
7. has been reported in some quar-
ters that the United States will have
o0O. 900 tons Of ships built and htted