Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-22
KOBE. japan, July %. 1929.

KOBE. Japan, July %. 1929.
AS took through this latest OF near
~ two dozen hotel windows in the Far
East, at which l have sat and studied
Oriental man and his works and &C
Invites, behold a scene of highly con-
rcntrated activity. This window gives
upon the harbor of Kobe, Japan's bus
lest port. 1t is not beautiful, in the
sense of presenting an aspect of trim
ness and artistic natural balance. There
are no charming colors. In fact, 1t is
rather a gray, drab scene. Yet 1t Is
highly stimulating in its indication OF
intense and we'll directed labor.
Directly in front of me is huddle
of masts, dozen or so, the sticks
of iunks that are being unlosded of
their cargoes of sand and crushed stone,
brought here for much needed street
and road repair work in Kobe. Beyond
them are ranged f1otilla Of tugs, one
of which now and then casts Oft Its
mooringS and goes scurrying out into
the harbor on an errand. Still farther
out are more junkS. either mastleSS or
with their poles down. 1t is a charac-
teristic of these Eastern craft to tip
their masts frequently, according to
immediate conditions. have seen
Chinese junks mast go up and down
half a dozen times in the course Of a
mile, in order to allow passage under
bridges.
Five Acres" of Junks.
There are at least five acres of these
junks, some of them mere scoWs, others
craft capable of doing creditable bit
of sailing in the Inland Sea. They are
all living quarters" The families OF
their owners know no other homes. The
children Scuttle around on the decks
without the least danger OF falllng
overheard. for they are hablted almost
from birth to respect the edges. In
some instances, have seen little ones
tied with ropes, just long enough TO keep
them from the water. In China, fur-
thermore, I have seen some of the chill
dren playing about on the junk decks
with what may be called water wings
tied to their shoulders, in case OF ac-
Cident.
A continuous contact is had between
the junks and the shore, the outermost
craft being reached by a series of plankss
laid from boat to boat. One would
think that there might be trouble IN
locating the individual domclle al
night. But it seems that nobody ever
makes mistake in his own junk hatch
I can attest that there is no confusion
or troubles at night in Kobe'S Junk
town"
Some of these are fishing boats, but
the majority of them are cargo car
riers, making short voyages along the
coast They are also lighters, serv-
ing for the unloading of the steamers
moored in the harbor Just at this
moment I note a vessel Of perhaps
10000 tons in midharbor. surrounded
by. perhaps. 20 of these junks. taking
off her load Again some of them are
golfers, carrying coal out to ships.
F1~1J:n Vohor Ts Thoan
It might seem that this is crude
and costly means of serving the ship
ping in such a busy harbor as Kobe.
But Junk service is not expensive.
Coolie labor, as it may be called here,
although the word specifically belongs
to China, is cheap. A yen day IS
good pay for a porter at the water
Side-just at present the yen is worth
about as cents. This rate is to be con-
sidered in the light of the low cost OF
living here-higher than in China, but
still. with relation to the United States,
very much lower. And then, too, the
iunk-maSter has no rent to pay for
the maintenance of his family. He has
no coal or gasoline bills. for the wind
and his own muscle constitute his mo-
tive power
The sailing junks. both here and in
China, are surprisingly fast in the water,
whether they are being sailed or rowed.
They are of very light draught and