Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-28
RULE OF THE PACIFIC
Belief Upon Whom Absolute SUI
premacy viii Fall.
ONE OF THREE POWERS
Japan, Great Britain or the United
States.
INCREASE In AMERICAN NAVY
Has Been Very Great in the Last Two
Years - Will Continue
to Grow.

The fact OF most salient interest today IN
the far east Is the parts that are to be
played In the domination of the Pacific by
three powers which, at the close of the
Russo-Japanese war; were destined to be
the ruling factors upon that ocean. In the
end however, 1t is believed that absolute
supremacy will fan either upon Japan or
the United States. in preference to England
Yet In many quarters it is held even today
that Japan's future in the Pacific is uncer-
tain
THE development of Great Britain and
the United States looms up as the constant
factor in the relations of the Pacific" said
a prominent diplomat today. THAT of
Japan-to my beliefs uncertain, while that
of Russia is 50 small that it cannot be adj
mitted for consideration. OF those two
powers Great Britain is at present .undoubt-
eddy the better equipped, while the United
States maX<go steadily developing it's
strength, and the British, preoecupied with
SO many other interests, be Unable to keep
pace with 1t. In recent administrative re-
port the American Secretary of the Navy
called special attention. and justly SO. to
the fact that no navy Ia the past two years
ffoated so many new men-of-war did the
American.
American Navy Will Increase.
And, according to presidential messages, 1t
is safe to say that no navy will yearly in
crease in strength, power and efficiency as
will that of the United States The album
dance of American pecuniary resources and
the fact that 1T Is not requisite to maintain
large army In the United States favor the
growth of the navy. England, so irritable
at the far smaller augmentation of the Ger
man feet, submits to the increase of Ameri-
can naval power without any parley 1t is
not-as 1T is generally believed-because she
mas reconciied herself, being powerless to
oppose 1t, but because past events and indi-
cations of the future portend that the two
great navies will always be one in spirit, if
not under one flag.
Should the American navy continue its
increase 1t will at the time the Panama
canal is opened be the most formidable
power In the Pacific ocean. Even Japan
which has shown signs that she intends to
initiate the United States navy to the best
OF her ability, will not be able to compete
with America How pronounced is the in
ciination or the United States, according to
the present administration to play a lead
ing role in the political concerns of the pa
Roosevelt
Eyer since the beginning of the Russian
development Of power in the Pacific many
decades ago, the British colonies Of Aus
traiia have looked with concern at the ap-
pearance or foreign cruisers in their har-
' eo ana at the danger to which the British
naS might thereby be exposed While not
aiming at any one nation but primarily
with Germany as indirect cause the British
aamiraity was authorized permanently to
furnish the squadron there with FIVE swift
cruisers and five torpedo boats At various
points, among the others the important
Torres Strait, the colonies were to provide
the Qualifications and their garrisons, while
the mother country would furnish the arm
ament According to british critics Russia
is lost forever to the Pacific on account of
her late defeat.
Japan's Power Possible Menace.
Germans today state that the rise of
japanese power must be rekoned with as a
possible menace. It has been more than
once pointed out that so rich a possession
as the Sunda Islands In hands as weak as
those of Holland might well prove a temp
tation to the japanese. Many voices have
given emphatic expression to the opinion
that Japan's victory is not in the interest
of all Europe from military a political
or an economic standpoint.
me oft-threatened protectorate OF
emma, said the diplomat would be a
great evil, II the threat becomes a reaiIy
Even should that evil be counterbalanced
by the desire of having a constant and pow
erful adversary of Russia in eastern Asia
the former consideration will nevertheless
assume greater moment The greater
Japan growth as a dominating power-the
more complete her predominance-the more
l fear, will antagonisms arise between
japan on the one side and England-or the
United States-on the other
"One thing, at any rate, appears to evolve
itself clearly in conclusion: The United
States. Great Britain and Japan will con-
stitute the three nations among which the
Pacific equilibrium is to be established And
the United States, 1t seems, has the best
chance of future predominance Germany
and France must remain behind, because
they are materially hampered by European
policies.
mo fight for supremacy can be entered
upon unless the participating powers are
both great commercial and industrial ma
tons. And while political results often
are forced by the man behind the gum
II is the man behind the commerce that
forces a permanent result. The suprem-
acy won in war is subject to another
mans strength-a very uncertain guam
tity at all times. But IL we take the
man behind the commercial affairs Of
the nation, we have the man of genius
the man who deals in measured quantities
For that reason the United States has
practically things their own way In the
Pacific. And while we speak of the United
States as q Pacific power, we may take the
phrase to read In Its two meanings and
therefore the pacific United States In the
senSe of not being warlike."