The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-19
NEWS review OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Japanese Disaster Probably Is
UnequaIed in Loss of Life
and Property.
TOKYO, YOKOHAMA, IN RUINS
America Leads in Relief for the Strick-
en- Nation-British Fleet Ready to
Back League of Nations Against
ltaly-Ruhr Passive Resist
ancs Collapses.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

BY EDWAHD w.
HISTORY does not record a disas-
IL ter eQualing that which has over
taken Japan, unless present reports
and estimates are greatly exaggerated.
Quakes and set ablaze by resulting con-
iagrations, Tokyo, the capital, is
three-fourths destroyed; Yokohama,
the chief seaport, is wiped out MI
merous smaller cities and towns are
In ruins, and the entire eastern half
of Hondo, Japan's main Island, is
devastated.
Latest estimates of the casualties,
received by the japanese legation in
Picking, put the dead at 100000 or
more, of whom 100000 persisted in
Yokohama. More than a million per-
sons are homeless, and the hunger and
suffering in the afflicted region are
intense. II is not yet possible to esti-
mate the monetary losses, but those in
Tokyo alone are put at about
S1O,0O0,O00,0
Many Americans and other foreign
ers officials. business men and tour
Ists-were caught in the disaster, and
of course some of them were killed.
However, the number of American IA
talities was rather small. Among
them were Consul Max d. Kirjassoff
and Mrs. Kirjassoff, Vice Consul Paul
E. jerks at Yokohama, and Commits
sioner and Mrs. William Eadie in COM
mand Of the Salvation Army forces
In Tokyo. The japanese emperor and
the prince regent escaped death but
several members of the royal family
and of the nobility were killed.
United States Ambassador Cyrus E.
Woods notified Washington Tuesday
that he, Mrs. Woods and the entire per-
sonnet of the embassy we're uninjured,
but that the embassy buildings were
destroyed.
1t will be many days before COM
plete details of the disaster are re-
celved, for one feeble radio station
has been the sole means of communi-
cation between Tokyo and the outside
world. 1t Is known that the tenn
blors, which continued several hours
on September l, not only shook down
Ennumerable buildings, but also broke
all the water and gas mains, and that
fires started simultaneously all owe
the cities and ragged for days. Bridges
upon which thousands Of refugees had
gathered collapsed, and other thousands
were trapped by flames in the parks,
and there persisted. Tremendous tidal
waves followed the earthquakes and
swept over the water fronts, and many
vessels went down. 1t is reported that
a considerable part of the japanese
navy was thus destroyed. The better
residence section Of Tokyo probably
was saved, but Yokohama simply nc
longer exists. The entire city was
burned to the ground, and the corpses
lay piled in the streets. Kobe has be
become Japan's chief seaport, and will
remain such for a long time. Along
the eastern edge Of the island the
coas line is altered and the bottom
of the sea has risen.
MO SOONER had the first reports OF
~ the catastrophe been received thar
steps for the quick relief of the strick.
en- japanese were taken in all civilized
lands. Out of its great abundance
the United States took the lead in
this work of mercy, inspired by the
prompt proclamation of President
Coolidge and the equally prompt
measures of our navy, army and state
officials. Within a few hours iotilla'
OF transports and destroyers lader
with food and medical supplies, doc
tors and nurses, were steaming to
ward Japan from Manila and Chinese
waters; all shipping board vessels il