New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-08-27
The West Does
Not Under
stand tho East

IT is Yet too early TO state with accuracy the
complex effect of the Russo Japanese War
upon the West and the East. But it seems
TO full time that check should be
put upon the announcements of those we'll
intentioned but extremely ignorant persons who
believe that a Japanese triumph will be a
triumph OF paganism and that the word
pagan" Is synonymous with the word - lap
.anese." Such attacks not serious except
IN SO Tar as they tend TO confuse the unthinking
and uniformed section of the people. Pre-
iudice Is not principle and fancies not facts
But the international situation IS at present a
peculiar One-one TO history, perhaps-and
public opinion undoubtedly needs educating on
both sides OF the Pacific The West does not I'M
derstand the East, and the East does not under
stand the West. Specifically, their respective
ideals and purposes seem widely separated funda-
mentally they are harmonious and identical And
il Is a modest contribution to the literature of
public education that this article is written.
First let consider the view which each takes
OF the other and the standpoints from which these
respective views have been taken The people
OF Asia regard the Occidentals barbarians and
foreign devils" because they have come to them
with rifles, cannon and battle-shps TO rob, grab
and slay, TO seize territory to which they had no
shadow of title and which definitely and unde-
niabv belonged TO Others. This long series of
robberies appears TO the Oriental mind a most
heinous lawless and outrageous series of crimes
and the whole scope OF their teaching and their
philosophy there be found for 1t rational
explanation excuse palation whatever.
From the viewpoint Of the West, however, the
Orientals are barbarians-only half civilized. To
them from their territory, to occupy 1t and
appropriate natural resources has been a noble
work OF civilization, while to impress upon the
inhabitants the principles OF the Christian religion
has been duty clearly imposed by the Bible itself
How far Christianity and how far commerce have
inspired this policy need not be considered here
The point is that from the Occidental point of
view the Asiatics have been PRIOR barbarans, and
any suggestion that they had any rights would have
been heard with great surprise few years ago.
The present war has brought great and wide
spread change of view in this respect. The first
surprise the intellectual power of Japan. The
Western world learned with establishment that the
Japanese were not. had been supposed mere
irnItators but actually orignators; that they
had not merely copied such institutions in America
and Europe appealed to them, but had so clearly
grasped the underlying principles in all these de-
partments OF applied science that they had been
able develop them 10 a height hitherto unknown
anywhere In hygiene, in the sanitary Of
great armies, IN transportation, in commissariat,
IN antiseptic surgery, IN strategy, in the equip
1nent and conduct of battle-ships, in torpedo
practice in their new rifle, in their powder,
and generally speaking in other highly valuable
discoveries, inventions and improvements IN the
more peaceful branches OF applied science, Japan
has revealed high intellectually which has won
the whole worlds applause. England must
adopt Japans system of training stokers, says