Suspicions of U.S.A. and
p. 36 · Read in the full issue
Pacific Airlines.
Suspicions of U.S.A. and Japan.
From Our Own Correspondent.
Honolulu, Dec. 20.
DECEMBER, according to present in dications, will see important aviation developments within the Pacific.
America proposes to make more sur vey flights over the route from Hawaii to New Zealand, via Kingman’s Reef and Pago Pago, Samoa; but, of more international import, is the announce ment by the Japanese Government that Japan’s long-planned commercial air line, tightening her connections with her mandated islands, will come into exist ence late in December.
There will be only airmail at first, and then, early in 1938, passenger traffic will be started. There will be fort nightly trips between Tokio and Palao, in the Carolines, a distance of some 2,000 air miles. One stop, en route, will be at the island of Saipan, which is almost within sight of Guam, the closed port island maintained by the U.S. navy.
A Japanese admiral recently publicly declared that Japan will keep the man dated islands “at any cost”, despite what the League of Nations might say.
This new air venture is Japan’s latest move in making a firmer grip upon the islands. Of course, American observers see more than a commercial significance to the project, in the same way as the Japanese were suspicious about the American North Pacific air service cutting right through the mandated islands, en route to Manila.