Books: March of Japan

CHILDREN OF THE RISING SUN—Willard Price—Reynal & Hitchcock ($3).

Japan, predicts Journalist Price, will conquer China with "magnificent success." She will introduce orderly government, eliminate illiteracy, raise China industrially and culturally to the level of the first-class powers. At that point, "a brief hundred years or so" hence. China will revolt and resume "her ancient position of leadership."

Written in vigorous journalese, with a great show of impartiality, Children of the Rising Sun deals with the challenging first half of this prophecy. Author Price gathered his statistics, anecdotes, reflections during four years' travel over...