The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-02-02
BY ROBERT TALLEY
NEA Service Writer

NEA Service Writer
Copyright 1882. NEA Service, Incl
A powerful modern army length
ems its shadow across China, back
ing UP its demand for foreign trade
with machine guns and artillery.
The long-nosed guns of the
worlds third greatest navy echo,
in tones like thunder, the same de-
mand from Shanghais harbor.
Militaristic japan is on the march
in Asia again.
At the front, its guns speak.
Back on the island empire Its idle
factories walt. Many means have
been suggested for curing the de-
preston that is world wide. Japan,
however, has its own peculiar
method.
Vast China's economic boycott
against japan is going to be brok-
en- or else
And that is why the Japanese
are in China to-day.
Japan's modern army came into
being soon after Commodore Perry
Of the U. 8. navy had forced the
medieval hermit empire to open its
doors to world trade about IS years
ago.
Its modern navy was born at
about the same time.
But behind each lies q most COL
orful story-a story that goes back
to the dim centuries before the
Christian era.
In those primitive days, and in
the days that followed up to rs
years ago. Japan grew the hardi-
est fighting men that the world
ever produced. They were trained
from the cradle on, their meat was
unhulled rice, their motto was
Live and die with sword in hand"
They were the samurai, profess
sional warriors.
In the early days of cross-bow
and knee-edged sword, approx
mately one-fourth of the able
bodied men constituted the ma
tons army. Service was for a de-
fined period, during which all
taxes are RENTED.
With the advent of the eighth
century, the CONSUMPTION list in
creased. Every stalwart man was
caused to bear arms; every weak
ling was shamed as a mere bread
winner.
In the 18th Gentry, the whole
nation came under the sway of the
military organizations. Rich feudal
chiefs gathered soldiers around
them to protect their feifs and
help them collect taxes from their
subjects.
In those ancient days, the prin-
cipal weapon was the bow and ar
row. Japan even had it's William
Tell: its histories record that a GER
tain Tametoto shot an arrow
through his brothers. helmet to re-
call the youths allegiance without
injuring him.
Even as late as 1852, a powerful
warrior named Masatoki - with
bow-'made $3.50 successful shots
minute" Endurance contests are
nothing new in Nippon!
In addition, there was the sword.
A single edged weapon, wickedly
curved, delicately balanced, beau
tifuily ornamented. Professional
swOrdsmen toured the country,
challenging other experts to public
combat.
The samurai carried two swords
"a long one for combat and a
short one for cutting off an enemy's
head after he had been dispatched.
Such heads they took to the silken
tent of their commander after the
battle to be counted. The command
err, 1t seems, kept the books.
These knights of Old Japan wore
armor Of iron and leather, inlaid
with gold and silver.
Prior to the 18th century, a bat
tie resembled a gigantic fencing |
match. 1t was opened with a hu-
man sacrifice, usually prisoner or
a condemned criminal. Nobody ad
vanced until notice of attack was
given with singing arrow.
These early warriors had an
ultra-courteous way about them.
A man marched out, singled out a
fee and addressed him a personally, |
proclaiming his name and titles to
his particular enemy and often
adding his fathers records.
Then the two went to it like
hundreds of others were doing
around them.
Hara-kiri - honorable suicide
arose among these professional
soldiers. No japanese was SEN
fenced to death; he was merely
sentenced to commit suicide. He
did SO by falling upon his sword
and disem boweiing himself. A
friend stood by with a short sword
to cut off his head as soon as the
stomach was gashed. The justice
Of such an order was never ques-
toned.
Often, hara- kiri was committed
as a voluntary protest against
some unjust ruling. These men
never hesitated to die for a cause. |
Are their descendants equally
willing to die for modern cause?
A few years before Commodore
Perry forced the opening up of
Japan. the governor of Nagaski
reached the conclusion that his
country would invite a dire fate if
it remained oblivious of the worlds
military progress.
Accordingly, he obtained from
the Dutch-who still traded inter-
mittently- few small arms and
field guns. He began training a
company of men at Yedo. Officials
threw him into prison. When the
American fleet came in 1853, the
officials decided the imprisoned
governor of Nagasaki had been
right, and soon began the importa-
ton of guns and rifles and cannon
from Europe.
Dates now tell the story:
1862-The shoguns adopted a
military system like that of the rest
of the world and organized three
divisions of 1860 men.
1873-Imperial decree by the