Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-02-05
SAYS JAPAN WILL LOSE
/. w. Bookwalter Claims Rus
STA Is Misunderstood.
ONLY AN OPEN PORT is WANTED

Movsment-If She Allies Herself
with Japan. Russia, lie says. VIII
Arm HnI Tribes In India-EnEiand
Expects United states VIII Take 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 IA related 10 the
possible conflict between Russia and
Japan. said:
The present far eastern situation Is
full of gravely important possibilities
anu may precipitate consideration OF
question of worldwide significance.
Should war begin between Russia |
and Japan. as now seems imminent. |
other powers will doubtless be involved. /
and the ultimate result Will be new
alignment of the nations of the earth.
The question in its broadcast sense that
may be involved will array the orien.
tails. who stand for that which is quail
itative and sentimental, on one side and
the occidentals, who represent the guam
titative, material and commercial, on
the other.
"Russia's position is much misunder
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
ther 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
10 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 800 years she was the
bulwark that protected all Of CONT
mental Europe against the invasion Of
the Tartar hordes, and in doing this
she 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 upbuilding of her COM
merce has been accepted by England
as menace either to India or English
ambitions in China The western world
looks with covetOus eyes upon the mil
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 Chine
for about 1000 miles, and the ethnica
sympathy considered in connection
with their close proximity. forbids thai
they should be natural enemies. The
and if other influences were not a.
work there would be speedy settle
ment of the questions now at issue be
tween Russia and Japan. But 1t may
well be imagined in the light Of all thu
circumstances that England Is again a
the bottom of the situation. Her re
puted desire to promote peace would
seem to be wanting in sincerity, ant
in view of the attitude assumed b!
England her ancient enemy, Russia
cannot recede. The conflict is inevita
BILE and may soon come.
should England openly ally hersel
to Japan it may be safely predicted
that Russia will use the transcaspial
road, which. with it's branches, nov
runs very near the Indian border. as
means of transportation for guns an
war munitions with which to equip tn
hill tribes of northern India. or thes
there are 100000 or 20,000,0OO an
the whole country could easily be sc
ablaze. The Himalayas afford frui
full field for revolt The whole Of Indi
has hitherto been kept under Englis
subsection through the inability of til
natives to equip themselves with moo
ern implements of warfare.
"The time was that such equipmeI
could reach the Indians through til
seaports, but since England has COZ
trolled in India she has so jealousl
guarded the ports that all equipmer
for warfare has been excluded frol
the country. The transcaspian roat
over which ] Travelled for a distance {
road. Every man employed upon it Is
soldier. Projected in a direct line, as
will be extended, it will nearly eros
Tibet and will be aimed at the heart {
China. 1t is of greater strategic impo
tance than the transsiberian road. Vi
on the latter | Travelled as the onl
American passenger on the first throug
train from Moscow to Irkutsk, a di
lance of 1900 miles. Since then IL
line has been completed it's full lengt
Of 600 miles to Vladivostok.
81 had visited China nearly twent
years ago, and it was to crafty pc
sonal curiosity as to exact conditions
central Asia that | made the trip
Russia, extending it into Siberia as +;
as the road had then been complete
In the event Of war Russia, witho
doubt, will convert the transsiberit
road into military highway ov
which to transport men, munitions
war and supplies to the ar east. {
every verst (two-thirds of a mile) Il
entire length of the road there is