The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-09


 article, on what may be expected from Japan In .her reconstruction period James McClain. until recently a resident of Tokio, points out how there may be removed one of the principle causes of discord between the two peoples--the problem of immigra- ton.
 By JAMES MCLEAN
 Heased Wire to The AEe-HeraId)
 NEW YORK, Sept. S-WhiI9 Japans high birth rate will enable her to recover population lost in the earthquake disaster within a few months. the work of rehabilitation Is going to require every man she caa muster This promises to solve the Japanese emigration problem for ths next decade or two removing a factor increasing seriousness.
 The destroyed area was one which relations with the United States with that has complicated Japan's foreiga may legitimately be said to have oeen overpopulated, but the work of rebuilding and restarting industries will require many thousands more than were there before the disaster. The climate is temperate, too, the main factor sought by emigrating Japanese, who choose California. Hawaii, Australia and the south seas in preference to the scantilyp popu- lated Japanese possessions in the frigid north.
 Estimating the deaths at a quar- ter million, this loss will be replaced by the Japanese within five months. Calculation is based on the latest census, 1921, when births exceeded deaths by 724609.
 The character and ability of the Japanese indicates the wrecked area will be rehabilitated completely at the end of 15 or 20 years. Already the work has started, and there Is no reason why it should not proceed uninterrupted, for Japan's credit is of the best. If a loan Is needed, it can be secured. But it will be near ly a half century before the debt of the disaster can be removed. The loss is placed between five and ten billions, one to two-fifths of Nippon's national wealth, and rehabilitation will proceed, it is indicated, through government subsidy to a great ex- tent.
 The disaster is a serious blow to Japan's rapidly growing foreign trade, for her export trade is for the time being virtually ruined and she must import materials and food stuffs in larger amounts than ever before. The blow to Shipping can be seen from the fact that the wrecked ports of Yokohama and Tokio, rated seven and six points In volume, re- spectively, to Osaka's three and Kobe's one.
 Kobe can take care of the exporta- tion of what little Japan Is able to send to America and other countries, but this amount is as yet unknown. Raw silk and green tea are hard hit. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the raw silk is produced in the de- Vastated area, while about 50 per cent of the tea shipped to the United States has been raised in the Shi- zuoka district.
 The cotton industry seems virtu- ally destroyed, a fact which affects both Japan and America seriously, for Japan manufactured yarns and cotton cloths from cotton bought from this country and shipped i'll large quantities to the Asia mainland South Sea Islands and South Amer ica. The value of this trade ranked second only to the silk industry.
 The Yok okohama-Tokio district also produced most of the novelties, cu rios, lacquer and other Oriental wares seen in American shops, while a good deal of rice straw braid was imported for straw hats. Nagoya now in ruins, was the center of the