The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-30

n the backing and q very close
- working agreement with the
British. But at the Washington
conference she will find the British
not. only cool, but more probably
in open alliance with the United
states. which would compel the
Japanese to seek the support OF the
French In futhering their claims.
Great Britain, of course. fears
the commercial ascendancy or
Japan in China and already Is be-
ginning to feel it.
Japan VIII BE Alone.
France, of course. cannot AFFORD
to do otherwise than support Great
Britain, for she is even now seek
ing some form of an alliance with
Great Britain to protect her
against Germany.
So Japan most likely will ind
herself without the active support
Of any European power in her pro-
gram for commercial exploitation
in China and will be compelled to
make concessions of one kind ana
another before the delegations of
the other powers. particularly the
United States, will consider the Far
East situation sufficiently well ad-
justed to discuss the proposal OF
limiting ornaments.
T can not but be of interest.
therefore to study the japanese
= plans for gaining and holding
the mastery in China and just how
II interferes with normal trade and
the aspirations of the other govern
meDts- Next to actual territory TAX
en- over and virtually administered
by Japan the proposed railroad de-
veIopment and method of operation
offers the best index of what may
be expected
From three directions on the
Chinese mainland the Japanese are
pressing inland She has annexed
Korea and has a lease on a part of
Manchurfa for a period of ninety
nine years She has taken over the
German position in Shantung, thus
commanding both sides of the Gulf
of Chilli and has established a
sphere OF influence In the Fukien
province. opposite Formosa-
And from these three locations
her railways, either constructed
or contracted for and the proposed
branch out into the interior. des-
tined in time to completely change
the commercial and political aspect
of things as they exist today. or
did exist until the termination of
the European war gave Japan .
new prestige and ambition in the
galaxy of nations.
The railways and the peculiar
Japanese system of operation is
the vehicle used for the expansion.
The South Manchuria system
forms an important link in the
chain. 1t extends 500 miles in con-
nection with ne Korean system and
puts Japan that distance inland.
additional railways contracted for
with add to this an equal amount of
mileage. and will penetrate far into
Mongolia and will reach a point
only about one days march from
Picking. the capital Of China
TN shantung. where the japanese
succeeded to the rights former
i Iy exercised by the German gov
eminent. the Japanese. operated
railroad brings them into the in
terror half the way from Tsingtao
to Peking. Additional lines con-
tracted for. which are to be extern
sions OF the Shantung railway. will
push their lines at least 200 more
miles to the interior to. the west.
while a branch line Is to put them
In connection with line which
leads further into interior = Asia
than any line proposed. A proposed
line from Tsinan to Shunteh will
send the japanese system far to the
west of Picking.
Other nations own railways In
China. or their capital was invested
In their construction, but on none
Of the lines owned. or under direc-
tion of foreigners In China. or the
Far East Is a military system of
operation employed. On the lines
81 other nationals the number Of
foreigners employed will hardly ex-
coed per cent of the total per-
sonnet and these are almost exciu-
sively in technical. or executive po-
sitions. On the Japanese railroads
every man employed above the rank
Of a track laborer Is a Japanese.
Japanese police guard every mile
Of the track and japanese troops
occupy the terminals.
A MOTHER serious blow to the
"A Chinese by the japanese OPP
4 \ Grafton Of the former Ger
man controlled railways proved to
be the number of Chinese thrown
out of employment under the jap
anese system
The nrst step Of the Japanese was
to. discharge all Chinese employees
above the mental grades Even
many Of the classes which ordina-
riiy are considered meniaL but
which offer experience which pre-
pares for higher grades. were sub
ject TO the innovation. During Ger
man exercise Of railway rights all
engine drivers. train star. station
masters. machinists. foremen of all
but the highest rank. clerical stan
except those In highly technical DO.
sitions were Chinese. The German
administration had brought the
railways up to a high standard Of
efficiency by the use Of domestic
workers But the japanese cut on
the source Of livelihood for these
thousands Of employees. The rail-
way became actually q Japaness
line.
One by one following this the
Japanese proceeded to acquire ~
actual purchase everything Of value
In shantung. The subjects of other
nationals frequently were forced to
give up their holdings at Z 1isad-
vantage. due often to What the Jap
ansse termed military necessity
In this some. at least. the Japan
a