Evening journal., 1904-02-16
CAUSE OF WAR
IN THE FAR EAST
James Crcelman, Noted Cor
respondent, Say Corea Is
Object of Struggle
ITS PEOPLE EASY OF CONQUEST

James Creelman, the noted cores
pondent, tells the causes Of the Japan
Russian war in the New York
World. He says
To understand the cause of the war
between the most powerful nation Of
.Christendom and the mightiest of the
heather nations it must be remembered
that Corea. not Manchuria. is the real
object of the struggle. Russia needs
that haplesss peninsula with its ice
free harbors, as an eastern Quiet for
her vast Trans-Siberian Railway sys-
tenn, upon which she has spent near
ly $500, 900, 900. and which is the key of
her power in Manchuria. the only
means of developing the vast resources
of Siberia. Japan wants Corea because
it is the only part OF the Asiatic main
land 10 which her crowded island pop
ulation and commerce can expand.
Besides. the Corean people-about TO-
100000 in number, occupying S5.OOO.OO0
square miles-are cOwardly, inane and
easy of conquest
When united Europe. led by Great
Britain, refused to allow Russia to oc-
cupy Constantinople and set the sui
tan OF turkey as a guard over the en-
trance TO the Black Sea-thus depriv-
ing Russia of the free naval use of her
only southern or ice-free ports-Rus-
sia turned her face toward the Far
East and then began the building of
that immense railway TO NladivOstok,
on the Pacific Ocean. which is trans
forming the green wastes of Siberia
into wheat farms. But Nladivostok
was a frozen port in winter. Russia
needed an outlet in Asia beyond her
southern frontier. Her statesmen pick
ed out Port Lazareff. on the eastern
shore Of Corea. and Port Arthur, on
the Liaotong Peninsula, Manchuria, as
desirable harbors. Her diplomats be-
gan to work toward them.
Japan began to take notice For
years il had been her supreme ambf-
tion 10 seize Corea and thus become a
continental power She was impatient
of her island isolation. Not a foot OF
soil on the mainland belonged to her.
With her flag flying over Corea-her
nearest and weakest continental neigh
bor-she would have "a right 70 partici-
pate in what was then regarded as the
[ impending collapse and division of the
Chinese Empire. or. perhaps. she might
actually conquer and rule the whole OF
China. This dream was the inspiration
of Japanese policy.
The poor. weak, foolish Coreans-
{ hermits for thousands of years-had
I for centuries crouched between China
and Japan. acknowledging each as
their suzeiain, anxious only TO be let
alone with their hermit civilization
Ihopelessly sunk in Buddhist abstrac-
tions and almost incredible supersti-
tion.
Ten years ago Japan had her first
modern army and navy ready. 1t was
a new toy and the Japancee were eager
to use it. Japan provoked a war with
China IN the summer Of 1894. With an
army of about $4,000 men she drove the
Z Chinese out of Corea. With another
army of about $4,000 men she invaded
Manchurla. c0nquering the whole Liza
otong Peninsula. including its two
great military and naval strOngholds
Port Arthur and Talienwan. China
sued for peace. and among other con-
siderations. ceded TO Japan the Laio.
tong Peninsula with its magnificent
forts and hasbors.
q. When Ii Sung Chang was about tc
sing this treaty OF Shimonoseki the
/ Russian Admiral who was present
llaid his naked sword on the document
land. in the name OF Russia. forbad,
the treaty. 1t was signed, neverthe-
LESS.