Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-11
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.

BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.
Destiny is marching toward the day
when Manchuria will be the cockpit
of a mighty struggle for the dominion
of Northeastern Asia; but, in my opin-
ion, the present crisis Is only the fore
runner Of many crises before the one
which will cause an explosion which
will shake the world.
The cards on the table Of the Coun-
Gil of the League of Nations, in this
instance, have direct relation to arms.
No rival can challenge Japan's mill
tary power in Manchuria at this mo-
ment. Neither Russia nor China has
navy worth mentioning. A combi-
nation of the two greatest navieS in
the world. with their bases at such i'm
mense distances from China, cannot
dispute control by the Japanese Navy
with its ample battleships, cruisers and
destroyers-of the landlocked Sea of
Japan, which is so rich in harborS and
inlets as nests for submarines, supple
mented by airports which can send
planes forth for such short flights to
their detectives.
Japan has her ferry across the
Korean Strait as secure as the British
have the English Channel and the
United States has the Panama Canal.
She has the ports of Southern Man
churia as secure for her ships to disem-
bark men and supplies as she has
the an-Manchurian Railroad Line
for the rush of troop trains.
1000 900 Men in Six Weeks.
In the Russo-Japanese war, Japan
disembarked 10000 men from single
fleet Of transports. The number OF
her ships, plying in home waters, which
could be Immediately put into military
service, is now much greater. I am
warranted in saying that in six weeks
after mobilization of her reserves began
she could have a million men in Man
churia.
She has the necessary arms and mu-
ntions ready. All her preparations
look toward a campaign in Manchuria
as definitely as those of Germany
looked toward the French border before
the World War. When every japanese
school yard is drill ground and all
Japan's "fit" young men have thorough
conscript army training, she does not
lack man-poWer.
Japan Is near the battle ground:
Russia far away. Japan has the short
haul and Russia the long haul. Russia
is limited for transport of men and
supplies to the bottle neck of the long
stretch Of single track railroad in East
ern Siberia. She is not even as we'll
of as Japan for funds to carry on
long and costly war, as this would be,
If fought to a finish.
Meanwhile, Japan aims at increasing
political as we'll as trade domination
of Manchuria to protect her railroad,
mines and expanding interests IN Man
churia. She foresees as definitely
nearer the time when Russian expan-
sion will demand the outlet to the sea
from which the cars army was driven
by Japan in the war Of 1904-5.
p. Chinese Rush to Manchuria.
at may be 10 years, it may be So"
heard an old Russian colonel say
after the decisive Japanese victory at
Mukden, but Russia, vast and mighty
like the tide of the sea, will come back"
In spite of the pressure of population
in the homeland Of Japan, it Is not
japanese settlers who are following the
Japanese flag into Manchuria; nor is
it Russian settlers who are pressing on
the Soviet border Of Manchuria. Year
after year. from half to three-quarters
of a million Chinese farmers have
moved north from China proper to fer
tile, undeveloped land in Northern
Manchuria Their influx has made a
busy growing city of Harbin-source of
varied war alarmS-which is the capital
Of the district between the japanese
and Russian Sentries.
Japanese farmers cannot compete
with the lower standards of living of
the Chinese nCr with the influx of
Korean laborers who are the under
dogs for both the japanese and Chi
nese. Not only this, but the japanese,
except they go as small traders, or in
the army, or in the service of the gov
eminent or the railroad, prefer to re-
main at home. They will not even
emigrate to the sparsely populated
northern island of Japan, Hokkaido.
Most of the Chinese immigrants are
driven forth from the unfortunate
Province Of Shantung by hunger and
hope. No Shantung army protects them
in their new homes. They are subject to
the rule of the local Chinese generals
in no-man's land between Russia and
Japan, when they are not under the
domination Of the Soviets or Japan.
Young Chang Hsueh-Liang, war
lord" of Manchuria, seems at present |
to be an exile from MS province of |
Manchuria. He inherited his power
from his father, Chang Tso-Lin, who