Evening star., 1925-02-24
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/, G.. NJ.
GLIMPsEs OF JAPAN AND FOR

Bound for the Far East both of
these travellers. The eyes of one
fixed upon Japan, the heart of the
other set upon the Spice Islands of
Malaysia. Out from the Golden Gate
Harry Franck steamed across the
Pacific with never a lettering glance
toward the siren isles that have
within the near past cast their spell
upon host Of O'Briens and Safroni-
Mlddletons, upon even the good Dr.
Traprock himself. A matter of clear
business lay over there in Japan and
upon this Harry Franck was fronted,
the very spit and image of modern
efficiency, armed against distracting
Establishments of any sort whatever.
Mr.. Tomlinson, in turn, setting his
back against the London fogs, sailed
out into the blue Mediterranean
through Suez and down and around
and up again toward the scented lure
of the Moluccas. Only his dreams to
beckon him, all the time in the
world for their joyous pursuit. This
is a good time to tell you that each
of these wayfarers justified his own
particular adventure, since each Sc
cured in full measure that which he
set out to find. Mr.. Franck came
back with a packed budget of facts
Japan. Current facts, the most of
these, but all of them rooted in
enough of their own history to ac-
count for their peculiarities of ap-
pearance and growth. Well arranged
facts, too, contributing to clear por-
trayaIs of the essential features of
modern life among the Japanese.
And Mr.. Tomlinson also in good time
came loafing along back in the
joyous ease of spirit that one gets
when he gives his dreams a chance
In this altogether too wide e-awake
world of consuming activity. And
was that all? Just this overflow of
soul as the output of the adventure?
No solid information about the
Moluccas to pack away In our al
ready crammed kits of things-to-be
known? Oh, plenty of information
solid, too, If that's what you are
after Remember, though, that the
tree Of knowledge was not the object
of this mans pursuit. Rather was
he out after himself. his pody
merely following the trail of some of
his visions and dreams. No other
adventure whatever half so rich and
fruitful, either, as this particular
kind of one may prove TO be
does prove to be in Tide Marks.
Quite happily for you and me,
the two parts of this seemln gly
disparate pair come together here
in a competent service TO all OF
us who must travel by way OF
nrint, True. Harry Franck has within
the past few years lost something OF
his yagabonding spirit. A serious
loss. this, or would be were there
not here and there Tomlinson le1t
TO fill the places left vacant when
Franck grew into q man of sub
stance and special responsibility.
A wise man, that kipling
man! But that's another story!
The clear freshness of Harry F'ranck
account lies to a great extent in his
record of personal travel through the
Fornnosan Islands to the south ana
through Hokkaido to the north-ooth
regions less generally familiar than the
rouch-obseryed and much-portrayed
mainland Of Japan. Within this north
ern island of Hokkaido are the remnants
of the primitive Anus, reduced to ser1-
dom more than a thousand years ago.
Here in this island to the north quite
American aspect of life has been brought
about through the cooperation of the
climate and shrewd governor, who IN
yited over a group of American agrf-
cultural experts with machinery and
seeds and trees for the promotion OF
their plans To-day Hokkaido produces,
for instance, an ample supply of Amer1-
can apples for all Japan-and incoming
travellers must hand over to courteous,
but stern customs officials the last rem
nants of this fruit in their possession,
though a case of oranges or q months
supply of raisins pass duty free" And
! here in this island instead of rice fields
the rich, black soil is given over mainly
| to corn and potatoes. corn shocked as
| 1t is in the United States" The alter
mating forests and fields, patches of
snow and beside them slowly greening
| fields, look like America rather than like
! a part of Japan. "A rural American
| from our Northern States would have felt
almost at home here" This entire view
| of Hokkaido you will find new and in
| teresting, a fresh outlook upon an un-
familiar part OF Japan. And 80 to the
south also the islands of Formosa are
portrayed in their distinctive features
of native life overlaid with the veneer
| of japanese convention and tradition.
| The story separates the coast fringe of
Formosan civilization from the interior
/ Of the islands,. where savage tribes still
| hold to their primitive ways, clan fight
| ing clan, with head-hunting a not yet
outmoded method of warfare. Here are
| the fierce Taiyals to whom head-hunting
1
| glorious thing in life. But, here too. are
/ forests of immense commercial impor-
tance. So the story runs into an ac-
count of the accommodations that the
Japanese are making with the savages
| for the better ultimate exploitation of
| their territory. Just a slightly differ
| ent version of the same old story.
| Throughout, this book is a business
\ seizure of Japan-compact in form, di-
/ IN mt fr1cr frr- f5,A -
| handing over in terms of common under
| standing it's salient features of indus
| trial habit, Of religious custom, of social
| and domestic practices, of traditional
| ceremony. "A spirited and deeply inter-
esting portrayal of the whole of Japan
with an admirable emphasis upon its
less familiar parts.
Not easy to gather Mr.. Tomlinson
| up in words. The spirit of anything is
/, it's elusive part. And this journey Is
about all spirit. To be sure, YOU are
| in the company Of a real man who talks
with you, and tries to tell you what 1t
| Is that he is after. In the first place
| you are made aware that he is not 60
| ing to follow the usual trails of travel
| If there is a world famed object along
| the route-and there are many of
| lnSSe--yOu may De SURE lIlAI you are
not going to catch even glimpse Of it.
Instead, you will find yourself with him
| in some ramshackle contraption of a
| boat-having a name that not even re-
motely suggests water craft to you
coasting shallow waters beside lands
that look more like the ghosts of land
than like the solid earth itself. And
what a passion he has for the little
rivers that lead through tangles into
L II
swinging vines threaten to hang you,
| or dreaming ones to choke VOL All sort q