El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-10

NEW YORK. Sept. 10.-World power
IN depends on sea power. All history
seems to prove the truth OF that state
ment though from time to time during
the centuries great land empires like
Persia and Napoleonic France and now
Germany have tried to prove it false.
They have always failed.
Now. while the senate wrangles over
the league Of nations. and the new
world order. en- which nations were to
disarm. seems further off than ever,
naval STATS in Washington. London
and Toxic are Struggling with the
problems in sea territo-y and tactics
left them by the war.
Not only has the downfall OF Ger
many. Austria and Russia completely
-scrapped all the delicate international
ballistics. balancing Of this force
against the other in possible combi-
nations, that naval experts had for
merIy worked out An even more oll-
ficult puzzle confronts them IN the
submarine and the mine, weapons that
IN five years have revolutionized con-
ceptions Of what naval warfare is
Japan a Puzzle.
TO compare the japanese fleet with the
American. the British or the French
In 1916, the experts would have mace
such a comparison and then sat PACK
in their chairs satisfied. Today the
submarine and mine problems cause
the experts 10 throw up their hands
when they are asked TO estimate ia
pans naval strength
Germauy's successful occupation OF
the wet triangle whence her SUD
marine fleets issued for four years,
despite all the might Of the British
navy across q narrow sea. has pro-
foundly affected naval thought IN
Japan. II Germany could preserve her
coasts fnviolate against attack from
the greatest naval power IN the world
a few miles away. Why should not ia
pan do the same when an enemy must
cross at least 300o miles Of sea- The
same weapons that Germany used to
keep Jellicoe and Beatty az bay are at
the disposal Of Japan-the submarine
and the mine
By laying mine fields and build
ing n large submarine fleet. naval
authorities in Europe and even
nearer home believe Japan has Il In
her power 10 prevent a hostile
navy. no matter how strong, from
operating In the Yellow sea and
cutting off communications he
tween Japan and China. or 81
mitted. In a few years, II may be.
II Japan chooses 10 work hard
enough on naval preparations 10
make n 50.
Before the war. the possibility. OF
an inferior naval power forbidding
access TO its seas was hardly consid-
cred. How vitality important the new
naval weapons may become in the fu-
ture may be Inferred from a hyp5-
thetical instance.
Japan. il has always been said IN
the west. could never against the win
Of Europe and America embark on q
career Of conquests in China or ST.
IBERIA No more could England without
a fleet attempt to attack France or
Italy, II hostile countries chose 70 in
terfere by sea In both cases. il would
seem simple 70 cut the communica-
tons OF the offending island empire
with the mainland and starve her into
submission. The wealth and natural
resources OF Japan would never per-
nit her TO build in serious naval RI
valry with the United States alone.
not 10 mention a coalition Of white
was concerned the yellow peril" was
a myth.
The mine and submarine have
all that A peaceful Japan
now depends upon tie moderate par
ties getting control OF the government.
ratner than upon helplessness 10 start
adventures on the Asian continent
without the approval Of the west
For with the Yellow sea securely
blocked by SUBMARINES and mines.
backed by the reasonably strong
surface fleet that a always re-
qHired TO protect mine fields
against hostile sweeping opera
tons, Japan might cOnceITnbIy
defy any combination Of hostile
sea power and carry on as she