The Western Mail 25th June
1935
by
Gareth Jones
There is a disease which attacks all journalists, and which is “the
housemaid’s knee” of our profession – “problemitis”. In each land we
feel an urge to unearth the strangest “problems” which beset the
population.
During the first evening in Honolulu, as beneath the palms I listened to
songs and. watched the graceful movements of the dancers who by one
gesture of the hand indicate “the sea,” by another gesture describe
“mountains,” and by others suggest “home” or “love” or “ storms or
“canoe,” I was free from this illness. Next morning. However I felt
one of its attacks and, just as old folk can foretell the coming of a
storm by the pangs of their rheumatism, it was the precursor to the
discovery of Hawaii’s great problem - the Japanese.
The problem in a few words, is this: A few miles from the town lies the
powerful United States naval base, Pearl Harbour, which is to America
what Gibraltar and Singapore are to us. At the present moment the eyes
of America’s naval men are more and more fixed upon the Pacific, for
they realise that war with Great Britain is pure fantasy and they have
withdrawn their navy from the Atlantic.
A Strategic Point
What is the important strategic point in the Pacific for the defence of
the United States? Hawaii. No enemy could land in California unless
they first captured Hawaii. Thus the Americans are pouring millions of
dollars into this vital naval base in order to dominate more than ever
that half of the Pacific which lies towards America.
It is true that many naval and military men say, “If there is war in the
Pacific Alaska and the Aleutian islands in the north will be more
important to us than Hawaii, because we will be able to attack such
places as Tokyo with our aeroplanes from air bases in those Islands, and
we will also be able to have a base on Russian soil.” Nevertheless,
Hawaii remains for most Americans the guardian of the Eastern Pacific
and the watch-dog of California.
Hawaii contains more Japanese - the potential enemy - than any other
nationality. There are 140,000 Japanese nearly one half of the
population. Are they loyal to the Stars and Stripes, or do they still
worship the Son of Heaven? Have they among their number a percentage of
spies who report the secret of America to Tokyo? Will they be able to
blow up parts of the naval base in a time of war? Will they be able to
ignite the petrol tanks?
Those are the questions which trouble the navy men and which make the
problem of Hawaii. To me it is an academic problem, because I see no
reason why Japan should ever fight America, and I regard prophecy of a
United States versus Japan war as pure sensation mongering.
Nevertheless, for the military and naval mind this is a grave problem.
Aerodrome Site
It is a problem which is reaching great importance in this year 1935,
because l935 marks the year when the Pacific has become air-conscious,
and. Hawaii is becoming a great aviation base.
During my stay in Hawaii I was motored along the seashore and a little
beyond the former Royal Fishpond I saw a patch of land leading out to
where great white breakers were dashing. “That is Kaneohe Bay,” said my
Hawaiian friend. “That is the patch of land chosen, by the American
Airways for their landing place on their route from America to China.
Lindbergh is coming soon to take a look at it. Just imagine -
aeroplanes will land here on their way to Canton! It is like a dream.
And those Hawaiian fishermen whom you saw wading with their spears on
the hunt for devil-fish will hear the buzz of the engines over the
Pacific, linking Asia to America!”
Americans fear, however, the 140,000 Japanese, most of whom live within
some miles of the Pacific aerodrome. Will they try sabotage in the
event of a conflict?
Old and Young Japan
“ You know the Japanese,” said one American to me. “We can’t understand
them. We know that the older Japanese are thoroughly loyal to the
Emperor. But there is the puzzle of the younger generation. Who would
they fight for?
“At home they are taught to revere Japan. One of the young Japanese
told me the other day in my family I get it dinned into my mind, that my
only loyalty is to Japan and that the only true courage is the courage
of the Japanese soldier.”
Many of the Japanese in Hawaii are Shintoists, and Shintoism is a
national religion which teaches the worship of the Japanese Emperor.
Hence the mistrust growing among the Americans.
Two ways are proposed to deal with the Japanese. The first is a typical
product, of the military mind. “We need defence against the enemies
from within,” say the soldiers. “Thus we must have a military
dictatorship here.”
If you treat the Japanese as alien enemies you will bungle the
situation,” say the defenders of the second policy. “You will
antagonize the Japanese by a military dictatorship aimed at them. We
must treat the Japanese as good citizens, have faith in them, and work
for better relations with Japan and while the militarists and the
civilians argue the Japanese, the Chinese, the Americans, and the
Hawaiians live on peacefully, laughingly together, giving scarce a
thought the politics, for do not the palms sway all day in the sunshine
and is not the sea deep blue and swarming with fish, and do not the
waves invite the splashing of lithe brown bodies?
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