The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-18

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geography and have a look at a
map Of the far east.
Japan is an island empire stretch
ing IN an unbroken chain from the
southern tip Of the peninsula of
Kamchatka, in the north, to Hong
Kong, in the south. This archipelago
forms natural rampant or barrier,
blocking all approach from the east,
or Pacific side, to the Asiatic main
land.
Japan Is Powerful
At the same time, you will OBJ
serve, the main island of Japan
the island on which the bulk of the
population lives and works and on
which the capital, Toxic, is situated
curves inward, ike an inverted
L, until its tip almost touches
Korea, jutting out from the contin-
ent.
Korea, called Chosen by the ia
panese, belongs to Japan. 1t was
annexed twenty years ago. This de-
pendenCy, connected by ferry with
the main island, gives Japan an
ideal bridgehead from which her
well-equipped army could march in
any direction it might choose in
Asia, north, south, or west, with
small danger to her lines of COM
munication.
Japan has population Of some
10000, 600 counting the Koreans.
Her army, ultra-modern in every
respect, numbers 100000 in a peace
footing and 2,330,0OO in war 1t
easily could be raised to 100000.
Furthermore she has airplanes,
tanks, gas equipment and all the
rest of the paraphernalia essential
to twentieth century warfare.
China Is Futile
Opposing Japan, in the Far East,
there is no military power worthy
of the name. China has a pOpula- |
ton of more than 400,000,000 and
probably the largest assortment of |
soldiers of any country on earth, but |
most of the soldiers have no con- |
nection whatever with the central |
government.
Instead, they function as the |
hired, armed retainers of ChinaS |
medieval war lords, who generally |
are to be found fighting one another |
for personal advantage. Even were
this not the case, the country lacks |
the money, the organization, the |
training or the equipment to make |
her a formidable opponent of a |
nation like Japan.
AS for Russia, Japan defeated her
in 1905 when Russia was at the peak |
of her power, since when Russia has |
grown weaker and Japan stronger. !
Nilitarily, then, Japan already is |
supreme in Asia. And without the |
help of a powerful navy, no non
Asiatic nation could make the least |
Roadway against her. BY mining
the narrow passages separating the |
links in the island chain barring the |
approach from the Pacific, and en- |
ploying airplaneS operating from |
shore in combination with Subma-
rines and other small auxiliary |
craft, none but an absolutely over |
whelming naval force could pene-
trate to the mainland.
Japan Is Safe
I do not mean to suggest for a |
moment that Japan has any sin
lister intentions in Asia or elsewhere |
in the western Pacific. nor that she |
will take her seat at the London
conference with any Interior motives |
in mind.
1 merely am attempting to show /
that the smaller the navieS of the /
world are, the greater Japan'S pow
er will be in the Far East. Thus, |
by the very nature of things, she |
should favor naval reduction and |
limitation, and the more drastic the
better.
But. of course, there is no queS-
ton of absolute abolition of navieS. |
For long time to come nations will |
maintain some kind of fleets. Japan, |
therefore, will insist upon two fun |
damentals at London; first. that re-
duction and limitation shall be |
made as real and effective as pos
Sible: and. second, that she be al
lowed as large a ratio of tonnage |
for herself as she can get.
Even as matters stand. her po- |
Sition is. to all intents and purposes
impregnable. The routes to her
sources of food and raw material |
on tie mainland of Asia are well |
guarded. for the waters between the
islands and the continent already |
are practically a JauPnese lake.
COUGHING AT PTTRTIC GATHER
ING A NUISANCE
A single couch will dim the hear |
inc of a Thousand ears. and affiict |
the offender with useless regret and |
embarrassment. Needless too. for a |
few sins of GOOD and reliable Foley's |
Honey and Tar Compound will so |
cover a sensitive throat with
soothing protective demulcent coat
inc that irritatio1s causing these |
annoving COUGHS are avoided. Fine |
also for those wFn use the voice |
corstantlv-pr a n ers. lecturers, |
Sinners @0d taorherS. Remember the |
nan1e Fofav'S Honey and Tor Com