Evening star., 1936-04-05
Japan SEEKING TO KEEP
BAN ON FORTS In PACIFIC
Mandated Islands Already Made Secure.
She Hopes to Preserve Status
Quo on Bases. ....
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


the Pacific, lies a thrilling
drama involving secret fortifi-
cations, international espionage and
naval rivalries, which played an i'm
portant part behind the scenes in the
London negotiations.
The United States, Great Britain
and Japan agreed. in 1922, when the
first naval limitations treaty was signed
in Washington, to maintain the status
quo with regard to Notifications and
naval bases in the Western Pacific,
west of the l80th parallel. The main
tenance Of the status quo implied that
no new Notifications or naval bases
shall be established in the territories
and possessions of the three sigma
tories; that no measures shall be taken
to increase the existing naval facilities,
and. that no increase shall be made in
the coast defenses of the specified ter
ritories.
During the IA years which have
elapsed since the signature of that
treaty, the United States and Great
Britain have observed scrupulously the
provisions of the Washington agree
ment. Japan has not.
Manila Defenses Neglected.
The islands, few and far apart be-
tween Hawaii and the China coast,
which are flying the American flag, re-
manned undefended The defenses of
Manila we're neglected.
The British left Hongkong as it was
at the end of the World War. But
hardly had the ink dried on the Wash
ington treaty when the Japanese gov
ernment began Transforming into pow
erfully fortified submarine and air
bases the islands entrusted to her by
Europe in 1920
Strewn between the 180th parallel
and the Philippines there are four
archipelagoes with hundreds of small
islands commonly known, since 1920,
as the Mandated Islands. They used
to belong to Germany until the treaty
of Versailles. On the maps these
sparsely populated pin points still have
their German names: the Marianas,
the Marshalls, the Caroline and the
Pelew. No white man, excepting an
occasional missionary, has set foot in
those priced possessions of Japan since
the Supreme Council in Paris placed
them under the mandate Of the Toxic
government The few who ventured
to pry into the secrets of the imperial
government reached the islands with
out much trouble, but were never seen
again. British, Americans and Dutch
who disregarded Japan's notice, For
hidden to foreigners" disappeared
without trace.
During recent years there have been
unsuccessful attempts on the part of
the interested governments to check
up on the mysterious tales which were
brought back by the few Malay fisher
men who ventured into those for
hidden waters.
Toxic Spurned Visit.
When the Governor of Guam indi-
Gated his desire to call on his Jap
anese colleague. there was no en-
couragement from Toxic. Either the
harborS we're not charted yet, and it
would be dangerous for an American
warship to risk the voyage, or the
Japanese governor did not have the
necessary facilities to receive such
distinguished guests as American naval
men, accustomed as they we're to the
comforts and luxuries of American
naval stations.
In 1888. when group of American
ericvNficfc yrror, r,fod n nneoruo tho Snlar
eclipse from the Marianas and were
told by the Navy Department that
they could have tug to take them
and their instruments over, the jap
anese government forestalled the Off
cial request of the State Department
with an offer to place at the disposal
of the foreign astronomers the Kaga
Maru, an old japanese freighter.
But even the most ruthlessly guard
ed secret cannot be kept indefinitely,
and the efforts of the Toxic govern
ment to keep these islands forbidden
zone have proved useless. The activ-
tiles of the japanese Navy are today
no longer secret in Washington,
London and at Geneva.
ManQaCe sacred ITuSt.
The principal naval base is Saipan
Island, in the Carolinas Archipelago.
The Japanese government has spent
no less than s6,000,000 in improve
ments" The covenant of the League
of Nations describes the mandate as
"a sacred trust of civilization to be
assumed by nations who, by reason OF
their resources, can best undertake the
responsibility to safeguard and assure
the well-being of the indigenous popu-
lation." Japan is interpreting this
sacred trust Of civilization" In its
own manner. In Saipan the harbor
has been developed to take in ships
UP to 1000 tons; q pier 300 feet long
has been constructed to accommodate
ships not exceeding 25-foot draft.
Although the natives are mostly nsh-
ermen, who raise just the bare neces-
sities of life, three sugar mills nave
been erected on the island. with con-
crete foundations capable OF support
ing 10 and IA inch coastal defense
guns. Saipan is today the pr1ncipai
submarine advance post in the PACING
ana the center IOT olStiIUu'AAe A
tary and naval supplies to the bases
In the other archipelagoes.
One thousand miles east OF Mm-
danao lies the Pelew or Palao group.
There the Kossol reef has been trans
formed into first-class air base, wnile
in the .Korrov Island, another SUD
marine and hydroplane base, the
natives have been treated along the
whole length Of the island with q
military road lined with bristling T.
inch guns.
The Summer war games Of the jap
anese neet IN 1888 and 1885 have
found these bases fully satisfactory.
Equally satisfactory were the sub
marine caches of Wolsai, Ujelang.
Kwajolang, waloelab and Bongelab IN
the Marshall archipelago.
The Island OF Formosa, which comes
under the same status quo provision
in the Washington treaty, is now one
of Japan's strongest air bases in the
Pacific. Situated only $50 miles from
Luzon, this island has become during