The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPTEBER 21, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPTEBER 21, 1925.

"Til K G It MAT PACIFIC WAR." Novici.s which anticipate and describe a war between named Powers are by mi means uncommon. This, says a contemporary, aljout the time when l.ord Roberts uttered his warning to Britain, and the "blue-water'’ school was demanding eight dreadnoughts, there was a deluge of such hooks, the conflict predicated being one between Britain and Germany. But, since their authors were quite innocent of the science of strategy they did not carry very much conviction, even to the layman. However, another hook of the sort, which has iusi appeared and will probably attract a great deal of attention. lias better credntials. It is by .Mr Hector C. Bywater, an associate of the Institute of Naval Architecture, anil a member of the Cnited States

institute, who. some years ago. published “Sea Power in the Pacific. ’’ His thesis was. briefly, that while the vast distances in that ocean make effective contact between the main bodies of the opposing forces difficult to obtain, nevertheless not only is a war between America and Japan possible, hut it could he fought to a decisive issue. Handicapped by the absence of naval stations in the Western Pacific. America would have to expect initial reverses. yet. in the end. her superiority in resources, wealth and population would toll. Mr lfywater has developed his theme further, through the medium of fiction, in “The Great Pacific War.'’ the action of which opens early in 1031. By that year Japan’s policy of pacific penetration has given her a large measure of eontrol over China, which country, how-

ever, is beginning to prow restive. A concession, granted by l’ekin to an American syndicate loads to friction between China. Japan and America. Meanwhile, the Japanese working < la=s. incited hv Communist propaganda, is getting out of hand. The Japanese Government decides to adopt the timehonoured device of curing domestic disaffection by a foreign war. The Japanes are a patriotic people, and their rulers know that their devotion could he relied upon in the hour of need. At first Japan scores all along the line. Before war is even declared a Japanese merchantman, laden with explosives, blows np in the Panama Canal and completely blocks it. The damage will take months to repair. The weak United fstates Asiatic squadron is overwhelmed by the Japanese fleet. The Philippines protected by archaic fortifications, a few obsolete warships, and an inadequate land force are invaded and. after a stout resistance. captured. The tiny garrison at Guam repels one Japanese attack, but when the enemy returns to the assault the island is taken. Up to this point everything lias gone badly for America, and her strategic position has become unenviable indeed. True, she herself is in no danger of invasion ; Mr Byswator scouts the notion that Japan would be mad enough to attempt a descent upon the Pacific Coast, Bin she has notv no basea

nearer to Japan than Hawaii and Samoa, while Japan has acquired advanced lines of defence. Tin"' can she ever strike at Japan? Would it not bo sound policy to acquiesce in her losses, which, after all. mean little to her materially? Guam's sole value was strategical. white America had always intended to withdraw from the* Philippines when the time was ripe, lint it is a question of national pride and honour. The idea of giving in is unthinkable, and America settles down to the war in earnest. The whole national effort is directed towards tho prosecution of the war. The American fleet is transferred to tho Pacific after a hazardous cruise through the Straits of .Magellan. But a further disaster overtakes American arms. An expedition despatched against the Bonin Islands, at, the best a forlorn hope, is annihilated. Then, at length, the tide* begins to turn. It is impossible to follow in detail the progress of the. struggle, which lasts lor two venrs. America, gradually wears leer ad versa rv down. Japanese commoico Tattoo intervenes on behalf of a vessel which has run aground in territorial waters in Torres Straits. That is the onlv part the British Umpire takes in the* war. Little by little America pushes forward towards Japan. Truk, in the Carolines, and Angaur in the Pellew Islands, are successfully occupied. A Japanese rising in Hawaii is crushed. Meanwhile. Japan is having trouble with China, who seizes the opportunity of assorting her independence. Essential supplies are withhold. ,\s the result of a general engagement off Yap the Japanese fleet ceases to exist as an effective unit, and it. i, dear that Japan lias shot her holt. The war still drags on for a low months, but in February. 1933, the Japanese Government is constrained t< Mio for all armistice. Wo may note, in passing, that throughout the hostilities either side scrupulously observe! the conventions of war. and exhibit*

in.r one. and Mr By water's forecast of tine chivalry. The story is an digressing one*, and Air P.ywatcr's forecast of the roles that aircraft and submarines will play in future naval operations is ext remedy interesting. Perhaps some people may take exception to a book of this character, even though it is avowedly fiction. No doubt alarmist literature is to Is* deprecated. If ■* nation is persuaded that another is its predestined enemy, war is likely i<> conic about. But Mr Bywater's intentions arc the reverse of alarmist. His purpose is to show that a war in the Pacific must inevitably involve such tin enormous sacrifice in blood nod treasure that it should he avoided at any cost. In adorning a talc lie is also pointing a moral id the* edification of the Chauvinists. America, though victorious, derived no benefit beyond the elimination of a potential menace of war. Tin* huge expenditure she had incurred left an altermuth of high taxation, and consequent, social unrest. “War.” writes Mr Bywator in conclusion, “is never a paying P 10 ~ position. . . ■ and the great conflict*, of which the salient phases are described in tin* foregoing pages, proved, in its material aspects at least, scarcely less disastrous to victors than to vanquished.’’