C'est la guerre

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Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal

Title: C'est la guerre
Language: English
Source: The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume 9 (No. 12) December 1929
Year: 1929
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Fulltext: December, 1929 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 29 C’EST LA GUERRE! America’s naval standard is supposed to be on an equality with Great Britain’s, and forty per cent stronger than Japan’s. The facts as they stand to-day are that all of England’s capital ships can outshoot and outspeed Amer ica’s eight deficient battleships. By 1928 Great Britain will have fifty-seven fast cruisers, Japan twenty-eight, and the United States only twenty-two. Relying upon the Arms Limitation Agreement to preserve peace, and overlooking the part played by secondary warships, the United States has slipped way behind in her ratio. Congress has just passed an appropriation of one hundred million dollars for the construction of ten light cruisers in an effort to maintain our footing on the seas. Instead of facing the hard facts of world politics and the continuous fight for empire, Americans persist in comparing the size of their fleets with those of Japan, pointing to Japan’s building programme as a reason why their own navy should be strengthened. In fact, Japan has been more than once accused of violating the Washington Agreement by secretly making up her deficiency in capital ships by an increase in secondary armaments. Let us look at the other side of the question. Add to the British naval quota the present and future Australian tonnage, every ship placed in commission by the Indian Government, throw in the fortifications at (Singapore, the huge Jamshedpur Steel Works,—the key of British Imperial defense in Asia,—and Amer icans will begin to realize that if Japan is. not to be eliminated as a first-class Power and hei influence in Asia undermined her Government must make every sacrifice to maintain in a high state of preparedness and efficiency the full What did he have in his left hand? They were the clothes of the unfortunate Martina which she had worn at the time of her disappearance. All that Kibol could tell them was that after a short search he found the clothes entangled in a maze of coral branches, but that he had found no body, nor in fact any other sign of the girl. The wizard meditated while conversation and conjecture buzzed about him. IIow could the clothes have become attached to the coral without a rent, unless the girl herself had removed them? Certainly no finny denizen of the sea could have taken them off. Finally Ino raised his head and addressed the girl's mother: “Your daughter cannot have died here from the signs we have; nor was she destroyed by the sharks. There remains a last resort, the smoke finger. We will follow it and see whether we can solve the mystery.” The moon shed a brilliant light over the sea, upon whose bosom the barangay rocked lightly. Standing upright in the boat, the old native stretched out his arms to the heavens and three times invoked the aid of the great Laon. A soft breeze blew from the land bringing with it the nameless perfumes of the jungle. Far away in its sylvan depths a jungle fowl crew its chal lenge to the dawn. At a command from Ino one of the crew blew on the coals in the kalan until they began to burn with a dull red glow, when the wizard placed on the fire the bundle of dried shrubs which he had brought along. The smoke from the burning shrubs rose on the air in heavy spiral scrolls, was wafted by the breeze down to the level of the sea, and like a ghostly finger moved in the direction of some rocky islets to the northeast. They lifted the sea-anchor and the boat followed the trail of smoke toward the shore, moving along softly, until it touched a sandbank lying between the main-land and weed-covered rocks. The tide was at ebb and there was a wide stretch of shallow pools, sandbanks and coral ridges. The grey finger still beckoned towards the shore. Scarcely had the craft beached on the sandbank before everyone on board had slipped into the shallow water, following their eerie guide. They waded along for a time among the seaweed until they were arrested by the sound of low singing which seemed to come from behind a rock covered with marine growths, ordinarily submerged at high tide. They did not know naval quota assigned to her under the Washing ton treaties. By dint of subsidies, the Indian Government is developing the greatest steel works in Asia. If this subsidy be withdrawn, the Indian Army Board will operate and maintain its own steel plant from its own funds. Protected by the subsidy, the Indian iron and steel makers have captured the Japanese pig-iron market compel ling the Japanese manufacturer to contribute to the cost of creating a military weapon de signed in part for their undoing. By the time the Singapore Base is completed, the Jamshedpur Steel Works will be placed on a permanent and profitable working basis. An Indian navy will be in the process of development outside the restrictions of the Washington treaties, and patrolling the waters between Singapore and Suez. A British battleship division detached from the main fleet in the North S. * a, with its swift cruisers, torpedo boats, destroyers, sub marines, air-carriers, and flying squadrons, co operating with the Australian and Indian navies, McCormick-Deering Industrial Tractors JI^JcCORMICK-DEERING Industrial tractors have inaugurated a new conception of industrial power. They are speeding up the work and cutting costs in every activity where mobile power can be used. Earth moving jobs, transport ing heavy equipment, loading and unloading materials, excavating, and building and maintain ing roads are but a few activities where McCormick-Deering Industrial tractors save time and labor and provide their owners with more power. MACLEOD and COMPANY 154 M. DE COMILLAS, MANILA BRANCHES IN: ILOILO CEBU LEGASPI DAVAO VIGAN will make Singapore its home station. The docking facilities of Hongkong, superior even to those of Singapore, provide Britain with a secondary and almost impregnable hase within striking distance of Formosa and the Philip pines. Slowly but surely Great Britain is strengthening her strategical position in Asia. Watching only what Japan is doing, seeing in her modest activities a menace to their own security, the only people who remain blind to the writing on the wall are the Americans. In fairness it must be said that Great Britain is preparing in a purely defensive manner. In this she is fully justified. Japan, with the lessons of Europe before her, labors under no delusions. The fear that these defensive pre parations may at any moment be turned into weapons of offense justifies Japan in taking measures to defend herself. It is the same old vicious combination of circumstances which brought on the Great War. Britain fears Japan’s expansion. She fears the menace of her (Please turn to page 3.',, col. d.) IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL Shipping Personals (Continued from page 32) Geo. j. McCarthy, assistant general pas_3engqr agent for The Robert Dollar Co. with headquarters in Shanghai, accompanied by Mrs. McCarthy, arrived in Manila December 3 aboard the Round-t he-World Liner President Wilson and departed for Shanghai December 7 aboard the SS President Grant. Mr. McCarthy was on a business trip in the interests of his company. _____ G. A. Harrell, district passenger agent in the Philippines for The Robert Dollar Co., accompa nied by Mrs. Harrell and young daughter, re turned to his post in Manila November 11 aboard the SS President Taft, after a five months’ holiday in the United States. L. Everett, president of L. Everett, Inc., arrived in Manila October 23 aboard the SS Empress of Asia from Shanghai and, after spend ing some time in Manila in the interests of his company, returned to Shanghai November 15 aboard the SS President Taft. BAGUIO NIGHT TRAINS FOR 1929-1930 SEASON WEEKLY SPECIAL SERVICE Train Drawn by Oil-Burning Locomotive Powerful—Clean—No Cinders DeLuxe Cars with Sleeping Berths and Buffet Service The BAGUIO NIGHT SPECIAL leaves Manila at 11:00 P. M. every Friday night, returning from San Fernando at 8:40 P. M. and from Damortis at 10:30 P. M. the following Sunday. For trip on Friday, December 20, on account of the Christmas Week, the NIGHT SPECIAL will return to Manila the following Wednesday, December 25. For trip on Friday, December 27, it will return on Wed nesday, January 1, instead of Sunday. Connection with Benguet Auto Line at Damortis to and from Baguio. On northbound trip, passengers leave promptly after arrival of train at Damortis and reach Baguio before 8:00 A. M. and from Baguio, first class busses and automobiles leave at 8:00 P. M. and third class at 6:30 P. M., arriving at Damortis in time to connect with the BAGUIO NIGHT SPECIAL train. RATES 1st Class 3rd Class Manila-Baguio, one way................................................ P14.33 P 5.64 120 days. Manila-Baguio, round trip....................... 23.32 10.28 Manila-Damortis, one way......................................... 8.88 3.14 120 days, Manila-Damortis, round trip................... 13.82 -----Manila-San Fernando, U., one way................................. 10.64 3.76 120 days, Manila-San Fernando U., round trip . . 16.46 -----Sleeper berth, each way................................................ 5.00 -----Both single and round trip tickets to Baguio may be purchased at sta tions between Manila and San Fabian where BAGUIO NIGHT EXPRESS train is scheduled to stop. All classes of tickets, one way and round trip, are good on these trains between points mentioned in the train schedule. For northbound trip sleeping car reservations should be made and tickets purchased at Manila Station (Tutuban) or Manila Railroad City Office, 519 Dasmarinas, telephone 2-31-83, near Peoples Bank. For south bound trip reservations should be made at Benguet Auto Line station, Baguio, or railroad stations at which this train stops. Baggage, Express parcels and C. O. D. shipments will be handled to or from Baguio at stations mentioned on train schedule. Express, rates on automobiles when owner holds first class ticket to destination of the automobile: One way Round trip Manila-Damortis............................................................ P32.20 P61.18 Manila-San Fernando U.............................................. 36.80 69.54 BAGUIO NIGHT SPECIAL makes connection with Northern Luzon Transportation at San Fernando, La Union, where it arrives at 7:37 A.M., enabling travelers to Ilocos provinces to reach destination on the same day. Manila Railroad Company G. P. Bradford, general agent, L. Everett, Inc., Manila, returned from Southern Islands aboard the SS Kinau November 13. II. M. Cavender, general agent, The Robert Dollar Co., Manila, returned to Manila No vember 7 aboard the SS Stuart Dollar, after a three weeks’ absence thru Southern ports. J. B. Lanyon, representative of the Blue Funnel Line, arrived in Manila November 5 aboard the SS President Johnson, and in company with Neil Macleod, manager, shipping depart ment, Smith, Bell & Co., Ltd., Manila, left Manila November 6 aboard the SS Panay for Cebu. Mr. Macleod returned to Manila from Cebu aboard the SS Bohol November 15, Mr. Lanyon continuing thru Southern Philippine ports to Kolambugan and Davao, and thence to Sandakan, British North Borneo. Mr. Lanyon is expected to return to Manila December 6 aboard the SS St. Albans. Mr. Lanyon, ac companied by Mr. Neil Macleod, expects to leave Manila again December 7 for Iloilo and Negros aboard the SS Viscaya. COPRA AND ITS PRODUCTS By E. A. Seidenspinner Vice-President and .Manager, Copra Milling The local market for copra has been quiet but steady during the entire month of Nov ember with production in the entire archipe lago very unsatisfac tory. During the last half of the month, prices at primary points were advanced, but at this writing are reported somewhat easier. The European copra market has fluctuated between comparatively narrow limits during the month and is today' reported steady at £22-2-6 for Sundried. Notwithstanding light produc tion in the Philippines, the U. S. copra market has ruled quiet during November with only fair interest displayed at asking prices. While heavier production during the month of Decem ber up to the Christmas holidays is expected, at the same time we do not look for materially' lower prices at Manila up to the end of the year. Latest cable advices follow: London F. M. M..............£21-15-0 Sundried.............................£22-2-6 San Francisco buyers. . . .4-1/4 cents Manila Buen-Corriente. . . P9.125 to P9.37-1/2 Resecada buyers................P10.37-1/2. Coconut Oil:—With ample stocks of compet ing Fats and Oils and under the depressing in fluence of stock market conditions, U. S. trading in this commodity was comparatively light dur ing the month of November. Sales were reported from the Philippines up through June of 1930 at 7 cents c.i.f. Atlantic coast ports. At San Fran cisco the market is reported at 6-5/8 to 6-3/4 cents per pound f. o. b. tank cars. There are buyers today at 6-3/4 cents c. i. f. New York with no sellers. Latest advices follow: San Francisco............... 6-5/8 cents f. o. b. tank cars New York buyers.........6-3/4 C. I. F. Sellers.............................7 cents C. I. F. Manila............................29 centavos per kilo ex tank 30-1/2 centavos per kilo delivered in drums. Copra Cake:—Pressure of resales with very light demand has characterized the Continental copra cake market during the month under re view. Very little trading is reported for shipment from Manila, and local mills are not inclined to meet buyers’ ideas on bids received. Latest ad vices follow: Hamburg, January ship ment ........................... £8-2-6 San Francisco............... No quotations. Manila sellers................P58.00 to P60.00 per metric ton ex-godown Buyers............................ P54.00 to P55.00. C’est La Guerre (Continued from page 29) ever-expanding trade. Japan is gradually oust ing Great Britain in China. Her Dominions cry loudly for protection against the bogey of the ‘Yellow Peril.’ So Britain looks a long way ahead and prepares against her old-time ally. Japan also looks a long way into the future, determined at all hazards to preserve her in dependence and industrial prosperity. While these great Powers arm against the day when friends may be turned into foes, America pursues the even tenor of her ways, quibbles over the expense of a few light cruisers, and withholds appropriations that will maintain its fighting forces in a state of efficiency. Secure in her isolation, her great wealth and unlimited resources, and misled by European propaganda, America leisurely arms only against a possible menace in the Pacific, while forces in Europe are in motion to bring about her downfall.—Living Age. IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL