Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
BY c. B. GARY.

sons to be thankful for the At
lantic and Pacic Oceans, among
i them being that these waters
have insured us, from the be-
ginning of our history, against the
necessity OF maintaining a standing
army on the European scale. Hence,
our interest in the problem Of the limi-
tation of ornaments is peculiarly and
essentially a naval one. And this prob
lem Is further simplied by the fact that,
as far as we are concerned, 1t is
directly confined to only two other ma
tions-Japan and Great Britain.
AS an aid in approaching the prac-
tical difficulties attending reconcilia-
ton of the divergent naval interests of
the United States and the two powers
with which she is directly concerned,
let us consider the geographic, economic
and political factors underlying and
determining the respective naval poll
cies of Japan and Great Britain. But
as a background we might first observe
that at the close of the World War
there appeared certain phenomena
which are essentially pertinent to the
subject at hand.
Balance Disturbed by War.
First, the disappearance of Germany
| as world naval and colonial power had
disrupted the alignment and the static
balance Of the relations Of the other
naval and colonial powers one to an
other. This necessitated an appraise-
ment OF each others new interests, new
points of agreement, new points of fric-
ton and possible antagonism and a re-
| adjustment of relations and reorienta-
ton of policies on the basis of this APP
| praisement.
Second, the United States and Japan
had risen to position of such mari
time strength as to make 1t possible
| for them to challenge, if not shortly
transcend British supremacy in that
heretofore exclusive sphere. In the
case Of the former this was supported
and accentuated by an unsurpassed
economic strength. And in both cases
this required that they be among the
| first to be considered when any world
| problem arose.
Third, the politico-naval center of
gravity of the world had shifted from
West to East, from the North Sea to the
Pacific. This would appear to be one
of those great changes in the course of
history, the significance of which is
only comparatively family seen at pres
ent and the consequences OF which may
not be fully apparent for scores of years.
Japan's Rise MeteOric.
The meteoric rise of the japanese
isolation to that of a world power in
the span Of the life of a single man is
one of the most remarkable transitions
Of history. Fifty years after the OPEN
ing of Japan the reverbrations of the
guns of TUgo's ships at Tsushima, as
they destroyed the Russian fleet, an
nounced that Japan was of the world
as well as in it; that she was a power.
! These were other shots which were
heard around the globe.
The rapid industrial, commercial and
political development Of Japan, her &C
tivities IN Korea and Manchuria and
her part in the late war have merely
emphasized the effect of Togo's victory.
Today 1t Is largely japan that gives to
Pacific the significance which that
ocean now has.
InsuIarity Shapes Politics.
Japan's fundamental interest in the
sea arises from the unacceptable fact
that the salt water which surrounds
and indents her affords her the only
means Of foreign communication. And
the naval policies Of Japan are deter
mined by and based upon this insu-
lar1ty. her inaccessibility, her peculiar
geographic position in the Western Pa
CHIC and her intimate political and eco
nomic relationship to the Asian CONT
nent.
To the south and west, Japan finds
her routes to the antipodes, to the In
dies and to Europe lying entirely within
narrow seas. thanked by the Philippines
and controlled by British naval bases
To the east she sees 5000 miles of
ocean separating her from the CONT
mental limits of the United States But
she cannot forget that only a narrow
strait, less than a hundred miles in
width, divides her from Asia. And so
Japan. In very elementary and literal
sense, finds herself thrown back on Asia.
Bound to Asian Continent.
She blankets the northern portion of
the continent and by virtue of this can
control three Of the four great gateways
into Eastern Asia-the Yangtze. the
CUR OF Pechili and Vladivostok. She
interpoSeS herself on the ocean routes
between the United States and the
rrnniilppines or between Europe and
CHINA. Her possession Of Korea and
her occupancy Of Manchuria place her
dennitely and irrevocably in Asia.
interviewer In and about Asia, Japan
Is forc1bly in intimate contact with all
possessions of Western powers in the
Far East, particularly with those of the
united States and Russia. And, lastly,
her great distance from the American
and European continents and the weak
put emphasize what is at once her
isolation and her strength.
IN geomarittme sense, therefore.
Japan Is the pre-eminent factor In the
Eastern world. For these geographic
reasons. the control of those narrow
waters at her back which separate her
from Asia-the Japan and the Yellow
SeaS-iS absolutely essential to the life
Of Japan.
Strategic Position Strong.
These realities of geography give to
Japan an enviable strategic position
Because Of her isolation she has only
two naval powers to consider. the
United States and, Great Britain. The
concentrated in the Western Pacific
permits of a concentrated defense
while her outlying islands and man
ricade.
In case Of war with any Western
power, particularly with the United
states, but with the exception Of Rus
sla, she has only to seize the Asiatic
or Western Pacific possessions of her
enemy (Which she could easily dol and
defend herself on interior lines with
her back to Asia.
While, on the other hand. her opno-
nent must cross the thousands of miles
OF ocean from either Europe or Amer
lea before japanese territory can be
touched. Naturally, these facts have
great influence in determining Japa-
nese naval policy.
Dependent on Imports.
Economic factors accentuate the si0.
niflcance of Japan'S geographical posi-
ton and her sea and ocean COMMUNE
cations. Because of excessive popuIa-
ton and poverty Of natural resources.
Japan Is not self-supporting in either
peace or war. She must look abroad
for the major portion of the Essentials