Evening star., 1923-10-01
EAST IS EAST
BY FRANK H. HEDGES

,limtnary work Is ALREADY under way
for the construction Of deep-water
harbor to serve the rebuilt capital
OF Japan. Plans for such a harbor
were formulated number of years
ago, SO that construction should
progress rapidly and before long
Japan will have flrst-class port to
replace the destroyed Yokohama. 1t
is impossible to tell at this time
whether or not Yokohama will be re-
built on the old scale. for the brief
messages regarding the building of
the new port do not state which of
three plans for TokIo's harbor is
being put into execution.
/ II the earthquake had not struck
Japan, members of the Toxic munich
pal council would have begun tour
of inspection Of the harbors of other
cities this month. The Japanese cap
ital fronts on Toxic bay. but above
Yokohama the bay is too shallow to
accommodate the larger ocean-going
vessels. Coastal steamers. whalers
and other comparatively light-draft
ships have long made Toxic rather
than Yokohama their port. In the.
plans for a greater Toxic, drawn up
more than two years ago under the
mayoralty of viscount Shimpei Goto,
now minister of home affairs. deep
water harbor was provided for the
capital city. Viscount Goto's plans
called for a total expenditure of $400,-
000. 900, to be spread over q long
period of time.
The visit of Dr. Charles A. Beard
Of New York to Japan last winter
and spring was in furtherance OF this
plan. DIR. Beard made thorough
study of the largest municipality In
the empire. and then submitted his
recommendations to the government.
They dealt largely with such ques-
tions as taxation. government and
extension of the city limits. but DR..
Beard is again on the Pacific ocean
bound for Japan, recalled by Wis
count Goto to aid Toxic in her hour
of trial and to supervise more detailed
plans for the reconstruction of the
city.
The spot chosen for the new harbor
is about twenty minutes run by over
head electric train from the heart of
the business district. 1t is a few
miles beyond the city limits of TOXIC.
Along the shore are factories and
warehouses while farther back on the
bluff are some of the finest summer
homes in that section OF Japan.
Canals. railroads, electric lines and
hard surfaced highways connect the
district with every section of Toxic.
1t is an admirable location for port.
OF the three plans under considera-
tion before the disaster, one pro-
vided for port that would accom-
Dor capable of caring for. ships Of
not more than twenty-five feet draft,
and the third was a compromise be-
tween these two. Yokohama was.
naturally, very much opposed 10 the
first plan. since IL would vitally af-
feet the business of that city. which
cleared 2,030 ships totaling 7,770,S 800
tons last year. making II the second
port in the empire. Kobe being the
first. Now that Yokohama IL de-
will never be rebuilt. but that dredg-
ing and new construction will move
the deep-sea harbor up the bay 10
the gates of Toxic. Yokohama's sole
reason for existence was as port
for the capital and it's hinterland.
deep-sea port in that section Of Japan
is essential. not only because of the
dense population. but as center for
silk shipments to America.
1t seems to be a certainty that
Toxic is to be- rebuilt along western
lines viscount Goto would, in all
probability, have been made minister
Of foreign affairs in the present cabi-
net If the earthquake had not come.
Realizing a greater opportunity for
home affairs instead The man who
succeeded him in the mayoralty of
Toxic. Hidejiro Nagata, is committed
to Fiscount Goto's plan, and his cleo
tion several months ago was con-
sidered 4 victory for that plan. He
served as deputy mayor of the capital
city under Eiscount Goto.
The American type of structural
steel building proved its worth dur
ing the repeated shocks early in the
month. withstanding them far bet
Japanese construction. 1t was test
for which Japan had been waiting
number of years. Ever since the first
"skyscraper" was erected in the en-
pire. Japan has withheld her. approval
until it had been tested by earth
quake. That approval is now given
and the type OF building for modern
Japan is settled.
Broad streets and frequent parks
are to be incorporated in the new
Toxic. not only as a place of refuge
in the event of another earthquake,
but as fire checks. The American or
European who visits Toxic decade
hence will probably be treated to one
OF the surprises OF his life when he
sees in the far east city of which
his homeland would be proud.
X X " X
Although Tokio's population was
but little more than 1000, 900 on Sep
tenber 1, those figures cover only the
political boundaries of the capital
for the whole metropolitan area con-
tanned considerably more than double
that number of residents. Estimates
made in 1921, based on the rate Of
Ia nd nr 40
nearby towns and villages. stated that
within thirty years the capital would
have a population of 100000. per-
sons and would cover 122.61S acres
be expected to lower this total. but
the manner in which Japan is al
ready forging ahead, with RECONSTRUCT
tion work casts doubt upon such an
expectation.
Yokohama, too, had drawn up ex-
tensive plans for its future. With
a population of approximately 100000.
IL was planned to extend the city linn
it's to adjacent towns that would raise
the total by another 1oo,veo. At
Yokohama is not rebuilt, as now
seems quite possible. it means that
the bulk of these $4,000 persons will
move to Toxic.
Tokio's municipal budget for the
present year was but S8000o,00o. a
small sum for so large a city, which
Is explained by the fact that the
taxation system was outworn and
Inadequate Foremost among DR..
Boards recommendations was one to
alter the old system of taxation SO
that the municipality might be pro-
vided with funds sufficient for it's
needs.
CONSTRUCTION of a subway system
was on the verge of peing started at
the time of the earthquake. 1t seems
unlikely that such plans will now
be carried out. but the traffic Dues
tion in Toxic had become almost as
acute as in the larger cities Of this
country. 1t Is just possible that
Japan. will be able to work out