THE JAPANESE BOGY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 9

THE JAPANESE BOGY

NOTHING TO BE FEARED PROGRESS IN THE EAST The possibility of a Japanese menace to Australia and New Zealand was deprecated by Mr. M. Franklin Kline, editor and compiler of the "Official Guide for Shippers and Travellers to the Principal Ports of the World," in an interview with a "Post" reporter today. "The cabled messages regarding the imminence of war in the East are greatly exaggerated," stated Mr. Kline, "and are largely attributable to the work of the 'yellow Press,' always Wiaiffv -ior sensation. The progress of Japan is along peaceful lines. Japanese manufacturers are improving the quality of their exports, which are even now in many cases up to the standard of those of the Western world. They do not seek to keep the price down by employing cheap materials or by exploiting labour." This, he pointed out, was merely the best way of meeting.the general demand Which had arisen for better qualities. The Manchukuo situation had resulted in a most satisfactory settlement, and the country was thriving under the Japanese. The principal product, the soya bean, had nearly doubled its cultivation, bandits had been suppressed, and the security gained had brought about the beginning of prosperity. Business people of the district were especially grateful for the . guardianship of the Japanese. The Russo-Japanese question, he considered, had been settled for a long time by the sale to Russia of the Chinese Eastern Railway. There was no likelihood that the oil wells in the island of Saghalien would cause trouble. It was also significant that the Chinese boycott of Japanese goods had died a natural death. The Chinese Customs tariffs now actually favoured the Japanese greatly. Mr. Kline is' associated with the Osaka Shosen Kaisha, a large Japanese shipping firm, and is now on his twenty-second annual tour of the world. Born in America Mr. Kline is a linguist of outstanding ability. His yearly itinerary covers roughly 57,000 miles, and the total distance he has covered during the past twenty-two years must • have been over 1,250,000 miles. In his travels, Mr. Kline said, he had noticed a great improvement in conditions in most parts of the world. The Far East, in particular, with the exception of Java, had greatly improved its outlook. Japanese shipping was also on an upward trend, and his company contemplated a much improved service to New Zealand, larger and faster vessels being employed. There was a possibility of a direct service. The company at present operates a monthly service between Japan, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington, and Auckland, with three motor-ships, the Brisbane Maru, Melbourne Maru, and Sydney Maru. Despite the fact that the trade balance was still in New Zealand's favour, Japanese merchants were sending increased quantities of exports to the Dominion, as well as to other countries. They were in no way antagonistic to New Zealand on account of the present position, and would make no suggestion that the Dominion was not taking her quota. .Mr. Kline arrived here from the south on Sunday morning, intending to leave again this afternoon for Sydney by the Makura. From there he intends to go to South Africa, after which he "will visit East Africa, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Buenos Aires, and the United States, and return to ' Japan. He has already called at North and South China ports, the Philippines, the Straits Settlements, India, Burma, Siam, and the Dutch East Indies.