The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-08

4 with Japan, Russia, He says Will
Arm Hill Tribes In India-EncIand
Expects United states win rake a
Hand.
John w Bookwalter Of Ohio who has
Travelled extensively in the far east.
when asked by reporter of the New
York Tribune for his views on the ex
listing situation there as related to the
possible conflict between Russia and
Japan. said:
THE present far eastern situation is
full of gravely important possibilities
anu may precipitate consideration of a
question of worldwide significance.
Should war begin between Russia
ana Japan. as now seems imminent.
other powers will doubtless be involved.
and the ultimate result will be a new
! alignment of the nations of the earth.
+ Tie question in its broadcast sense that
may be involved will array the orien-
tails. WHO stand for that which is quail
4 itative and sentimental on one side aud
/ the 0ccidentals, who represent the guam
titative. material and commercial, on
| the other.
''Russia's position is much mfsunder-
stood. She has no ambition, primarily,
to extend her territory; she has now
| one-seventh of the land area of the
world. The thing she wants and which
is an absolute necessity to her in this
age of International commerce is an
open port, for with all her vast terrific
~ she is bottled up. Whether she seeks
an outlet through the Black sea, by
way of the Persian gulf or through
Manchuria or Korea, she is laid open to
| the charge of seeking to acquire fur
| Their territory. This is not, however
the fundamental purpose, but is Incl
dental and of secondary moment Rus
STA is tainted with the fact that she
has no commerce, which is of course
impossible without access to the sea-
'She has been shut in by the coali.
ton of European powers of which Eng
land is the head. and it looks as if the
present movement in the far east, I'M
doubtedly inspired by England, aims
to perpetuate the same purpose. Rus
STA is said to be less progressive than
some of the neighboring powers. but
in this connection it should be remem-
bered that for 300 years she was the
bulwar1 that protected all of conti-
i-SLtttA A~AAOBC stS5etI41Sl the III StSloA u
the Tartar hordes. and in doing this
size was necessarily weakened and her
progress greatly retarded.
Every step in Russian policy look
ing to the acquisition of an outlet es-
sential to the upbuiIding of her com
merce has been accepted by England
as menace either to India or English
ambitions in China The western world
II,
lions of possible consumers in China
1t is people they want to manipulate
for profit. The community of interest
between England and the United
States is commercialism.
Russian territory borders on China
for about 1000 miles, and the clinical
sympathy, considered in connection
with their close proximity, forbids that
they should be natural enemies. The
same clinical relation includes Japan,
and if other influences We're not at
work there would be a speedy settle /
ment of the questions now at issue be-
tween Russia and Japan. But it may |
we'll be imagined in the light of all the
circumstances that England is again at
the bottom of the situation. Her re- /
puted desire to promote peace would I
seem to be wanting in sincerity, and T
in view of the attitude assumed 10y I
England her ancient enemy, Russia. I
cannot recede. The conflict is inevita
bic and may soon come.
SHOULD England openly ally herself +
to Japan it may be safely predicted I
that Russia will use the transcaspian I
road, which. with its branches, now
runs very near the Indian border, as I
means of transportation for guns and |
war munitions with which to equip the
hill tribes of northern India. OF these
there are 15G00000 or 2o,000,000, and T
the whole country could easily be set |
ablaze. The Himalayas afford fruit |
full field for revolt. The whole of India |
has hitherto been kept under English I
subsection through the inability of the /
natives to equip themselves with mod
ern implements of warfare
1.-THE time was that such equipment t
could reach the Indians through the |
seaports, but since England has con-
trolled in India she has so jealousy |
guarded the ports that all equipment /
for warfare has been excluded from |
the country. The transcaspian road,
over which | Travelled for a distance of
1000 miles, is essentially military
road. Every man employed upon it is a
soldier. Projected in a direct line, as it
will be extended, it will nearly cross
Tibet and will be aimed at the heart of
China. 1t is of greater strategic impor-
lance than the transsiberian road. Up |
on the latter l travelled as the only /
American passenger on the first through /
train from Moscow to Irkutsk, dis
lance of 1890 miles, Since then the I