Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18
japan and the Philippines.

| Representative Hull claims to have been
misquoted in the matter of Japan and the
| Philippines. In what he said he was In
| dulging only in some general speculation
| He did not allude to a sale of the Islands
| to Japan at all, and with reference to force
merely pointed out what Japan might at
tempt If the spirit of the conqueror seized
| her. Friends of Mr.. Hull will probably
welcome the correction. The interview
placed him in very unfortunate light.
1t so happens that there is stir in
Europe on the subject of Japans future
and that both soldiers and publicists are
giving it attention. In France particularly
everybody sees red when Japan is men,
toned, and the gravest fears are expressed
lest the end of the white race is near. A
writer in Figaro, in an elaborate article
advocates partition of China as the best
means of checking Japan. He declares that
the japanese are preparing to seize French
Indo-China when 1.-The time is ripe" and
he appeals to his countrymen in these terms:
with whom shall We reach an under
standing? With Europe, with which our
interests are Identical On what basis?
There Is but one-the partition Of China
into protectorates with partial occupa-
ton. Yesterday that would have been an
act of folly. Today it is safety. Tomorrow
it may be too late The Chinese tool may
HOl escape the nduQS WHICH are surviving u
seize it. Between white hands and yellow
hands, shall we hesitate? The plan, in its
large outline, is very clear. 1t Is to ap-
prove the Russian descent toward Picking,
to allow English penetration along the Yang
tse to lead the Germans to complete their
line of ocean stations by solid establish
| ments on the Chinese coast, to draw thither
the Italians, to round out our own empire
by an undisputed protectorate over Siam
and a serious penetration in Yunnan and
kwang-si, and to give to this collective
acquisition by the OLD world of a large por-
| ton of the far east the only suitable sane
tion-a general treaty of guarantees embrace
| ing the Dutch possessions and providing for
| the defense of the general interests a nu-
| merous and well-equipped International ma
| val force"
The Temps of Paris is busy with the
| same topic, and says that Japan means to
| hold Korea permanently, and that "her ac-
| tivity in China is not less penetrating be-
| cause it assumes another form" 1t refers
| to the large number of Chinese students
now studying in Tokyo, and adds:
eff we consider this vast, supple and
varied organization in connection with the
movement started by the Indo-Japanese AS
scciation to divert Indian women from the
teachings of England and to attract them
to Japan; if we remember certain Journeys
little known but indisputabe, undertaken
by Japanese missions to the Indies, to
| Afghanistan, and even as far Persia
without overlooking 1ndo-China; il we re-
| me mber the anxiety recently occasioned the
Australians by the growing Importance of
Japanese emigration to the southern portion
of their territory, one is led, though one puts
aside the theory of the yellow peril in it's
brutal form of a military menace directed
against Europe, to regard as an accom-
| plished fact, becoming daily more worthy
of attention, Japan's seizure of the whole of
eastern Asia"
| This sort of thing may be pardoned to
France. AS an ally of Russia she deeply
| regrets the Japanese triumph, and would be
| glad to have the world put an unfavorable
construction it. But she goes too far.
| Her warnings run into hysteria and defeat
| her object Japan has shown wonderful
prowess and capacity in this war, and her
| hrmblng of Russia has been an extraordi-
| nary achievement. But she shows no signs
| of having lost, or in future of losing, her
| head over her successes, and France will
find it impossible to communicate her
| goosefesh to others.