Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-05
IS ALL NONSENSE, l,
Talk of War With Japan. Says Man do ry Just Rack from Orient. ;,.,

no Jnst Back from Orient. 6i Washington, D. C., Dec 5.-"All this discussion of war between the
 United States and Japan, which one reads in some of the newspapers, said Robert NJ. Collins, who has just
 returned from the Orient, where he
 has been for several years, is the veriest nonsense. Japan is not seek ing trouble with any nation, least oi
 all with the United States. In fac.
 for a quarter of century, at least,
 Japan will be in no position to invite
 a war and it is reasonably certain
 that the American government will
 seek no trouble with the mikado's
 country"
 For four or five years Mir Collins
 was the oriental representative of
 the Reuters News Agency of Lon don. He directed the collection and dissemination of al news relating to both Japan and China. He made his headquarters at Picking, but paid ire auent visits to Tokio. During the Russo-Japanese war he was at the front with the japanese forces. spend ing the greater part of his time with General Kuroki's army, although he was with General Noyi for several months. He is thoroughly familiar with the conditions In Japan and with the attitude of the Japanese people toward America.
 "It is inconceivable, he contin- ued. that the Japanese people, or. more particularly, the Japanese gov ernment. should allow itself to go to the point of war over such situa- ton as has arisen in San Francisco, even if the country were prepared for another siege of atcive hostilities. The question is not of sufficient im- portance alone to warrant serious trouble and Japan knows 1t. The probability is that the San Francisco situation will be worked out in a satisfactory way eventually by this government. In any event, however. it is pretty certain that Japan will ac- cept the conditions as it may find them. for the very simple reason that she could not go to war with America if she wanted to. Japan has not a dollar 10 expend in war and will not have for many years to come. With a war impending between Japan and the United States. the Japanese could not raies a cent in the world and her creditors would come down on her with a crushing weight. It takes money. not sentiment. to run modern war and in a duel between this country and Japan. the latter would not last fifteen minutes. Japan has a good army and . good navy. but no money to maintain eithe- branch in active hostilities. In the far distant future. America and Japan may clash over some question. despite their traditionzliy friendly relations: but 1t ~ill no, be over the San Francisco school matter and 1t riII not be. probably. in your time pr mine"
 Mr Collins vas asked about the recently made both in this country and in Europe that Gen przl Karoki really vas General Mae Donald. a distinguished ofscer of the British army. and that since the rlose of the Rus<i-Japene>e var. Kuroki had dissppezred
 There fs absolutely no foundation Ter sarh a story ke replied "I snov General Ksroki Intimately. |. spent many months with hin at his .e.t11arferp ia Na1<hsrfa- He is a 'yp;eaI Iapanese vho has besn iden- Ii6sd vf<h ths sruy of JaDaA siBcs