The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-03-21
DOES CHINA WANT PEAcEp
An English Opinion on the Oriental
Situation.

Situation.
A great deal Of nonsense appears
in print just now with reference to
the action pursued by Japan in the
war in which she is engaged with
China. We are growing quite ac-
customed to the yaporiugs Of cor
tain section OF the British press on
this subject, and we doubt whether
anybody is seriously Influenced by
the oracular fashion in which they
lay down the law concerning all
matters international. The latest
phase of this oracular style OF writ.
ing calls for notice and rebuke on
the part of those who claim to have
any interest in Eastern affairs. IL
appears that Japan has given fresh
umbrage to these critics because she
has seen fit to decline the informal
and almost comical offers Of peace
which have been held out by China.
We eau quite understand that those
good but misguided people who are
III lnt uhblI VI q NtiO WIN
tracted vision TO bear on interna.
tional questions, would accept peace
at any price, without troubling
themselves whether the terms ar.
rived at by such meaus could be
honorable and lasting. There is a
kind Of peace which is infinitely
worse than war, and il we under.
stand the Japanese Alright they have
thoroughly grasped this truth and
intend to avoid being party to
such miserable overtures. We can
not help thinking that the critics
who devote so much time to passing
Judgment on the action OF Japan
are fretting themselves quite uu-
necessarily about what japan will
do in the near future. The peace
at-any-price party would like one or
more OF the European Powers to
patch up the matter for japan and
arrange the whole business for
China. We fancy we see the Japa.
nese kuuckling down to this kind of
treatment! For the present Wa i'm
agine that Japan wants nothing SO
much as to be left slone. The coun-
try which has organized the present
war with such a complete mastery
OF details as to be the subject OF
general admiration on the part of
all unbiased authorities in Europe
is, We imagine, quite capable OF con
GLIDING an honorable aud satisfac-
tory peace. Ii the European Powers
are to take part in closing the war
they will act in concert with Japan,
and not as dictators.
During the month contribution
has been made to the literature on
this subject which is well worthy
the consideration OF all who follow
the war closely. Our readers will
no doubt remember the name OF
Colonel Maurice, au officer held in
great esteem by tho chiefs of the
British Army and by the lntelli-
gence Department. 1t is no exag-
gsration TO say that his remarks ON
the progress OF the war from time
to time have received more attention
from experts than any other which
have appeared in print. During last
month Colonel Maurice delivered a
lecture before the Duke of Con
paught aud the Aldershot Military
Society, in which he paid high tri-
butte of praise to the Japanese for
the complete and skilful manner in
which they had organised their
operations in China. He even went
so lar as to compare the orgsnisa-
ton with that Of Germany, and sug-
gested that somewhere or other in
Japan there must be an organiser
whom it is no derogation to Count
Won Moltke to compare even with
that great general, who so planned
the invasion OF France that he never
lost battle, or failed to carry out
any operation on which he had set
his heart. Such high praise as this,
coming from so distinguished a sol.
der as Colonel Maurice, will no
doubt be very gratifying to the
japanese, and will enable them to
treat the disparagement to which
they are subjected by lesser lights
with Indifference. They certainly
can afford to do so after the high
testimony paid to their military or,
ganization by one of the leading ex,
perts in this country. We need
scarcely add that Colonel Maurice il
being taken to task by a certain sec,
ton OF the press because he has
spoken the truth, 1t is pointed out
that statements Of this nature bear
ing the imprimatur Of such an ex,
pert will tend to prolong the war