Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1938. MYSTERY CRAFT AT DAVAO

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 22 April 1938, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1938. MYSTERY CRAFT AT DAVAO

Not a little concern lias been •raised in the United States over the message from Manila, in the Philippines, that numerous mysterious vessels, 21 of them believed to be warships, a few days ago entered the waters of Davao, in the southern part of the islands, and later moved oft’. There may be some time before the mystery is cleared up, but it is worth noting that a retired officer of the United States Army is convinced that what he saw from the land were undoubtedly warships and in column formation. Even if they were not, it is unlikely that the United States will allow the matter to rest there, for there ’has been nervousness of late over the fear of fresh Japanese interest in the fertile southern island of Mindanao, in the Philippines Group, and should the vessels prove to be only Japanese fishing craft —one supposition advanced —an explanation will probably be demanded of their presence in the waters of what in their real sense are American lands. In this connection it should be remembered that the United States has postulated that it would be better to defer the granting of full independence to the Philippine Islands for another decade at least.

Mindanao is the second largest and most wealthy of the Philippines Group, and the port and district of Davao have been termed the spearhead of Japanese expansion in that territory. Davao is only 600 miles from Palao, the most southerly of the Japanese mandated islands, and it has a commanding position in relation to Borneo. Mr Willard Place, in his recently published book, “Japan Reaches Out,” provokes much thought when he says that “to-day at the front door of the Philippines (Manila) the Americans are going out; at the back door (Davao) the Japanese are coming in.” In Davao already there are 15,000 Japanese residents, and in fact they dominate the island of Mindanao. They have, Mr Price writes, made fortunes for themselves and created prosperity for the Filipino population in the two greatest industries of the island—hemp and lumber. Eighty per cent, of the imports of Davao Province are from Japan. Ever since the proposal of independence for the Philippines was mooted, and particularly since the United States legislation on the subject was framed, there has been a remarkable quickening of Japan’s peaceful penetration in the territory. She has gained a remarkable hold already, and events there are likely to be brought sharply into

focus in the near future should it be found that the mysterious craft referred to are Japanese. In the meantime news from New York announces conversations between United States Army and Navy officials with the Filipino leaders concerning a plan for the defence of the Philippines, the strategic importance of which cannot be over-estimated, particularly since Davao has a splendid harbour for naval purposes.