Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-04
Europe and War Talk.

In a London cable printed today appears
TINS paragraph:
several extracts from certain American
newspapers limiting that President RoOSe-
Welt desires to bring on war with Japan
To- make his reelection logical have been
printed here. but were received as partisan
political charges. Diplomats generally be
lieve that Japan wishes to avoid war. and
consider the probability of war to be
small unless the newspapers fan the two
peoples into hostility.
This view of the matter which will soon
obtain in Paris. Berlin. and elsewhere on
the continent, is the correct one. and VIII
greatly assist In keeping things on an even
keel The war talk in this country now
has distinctly for its object the injury of
Alr Roosevelt as a supposed candidate for
next years presidential nomination. Thus
newspapers which accuse him of using the
fleet for the purpose Of bringing on war
with Japan are themselves encouraging war
by that very Interpretation of his action
Not only has he explained his object. but
his explanation squares with common sense
and unprejudiCed public s"httment. There
is no thought of war on his part. or on the
part of any of his supporters. But the
yowling of his enemies continues. and sem
sationalsm gives 1t wide circulation
This is the latest report from Berlin.
German officials are disposed to take a
calm view of the sending of the American
battleship fleet to the Pacific ocean and do
not consider that this step is an aggressive
against Japan or likely to lead TO war
German officials are convinced that neither
the United States nor Japan is disposed 10
allow the controversy to reach a stage
where its settlement by force would De tne
ION the contrary. the opinion in authori-
tatiye quarters is that latterly the rela-
tfonS between the two countries nave I'M
prOyed and ii is remarked that the recent
attacks on Japanese subjects at vancouver
is liable to make Japan more WILING 10
come to terms with the United states. since
a contrary course might tend to draw Great
Britain to a sympathetic attitude with the
United States against Japan
Neither America nor Japan desires war.
and acting together they can prevent It,
They cannot hone to quiet sensatonalists.
or control stock jObbers. Enemies of the
government in Japan and spectators VIII
keep up their racket. and men of the same
bent in this country will pursue a like
course But as the outside world is getting
wise as to the real situation, the danger
diminishes every day. No friend Of the
United States or of Japan will lend a SYM
pathetic ear toward any talk of an infiam-
matory character.
Had Secretary Taft declined Inequalities
in Japan and pushed on to the Philippines
his action would have been construed by
the enemies of the administration as proof
positive that war soon coming. He
stopped was enthusiastically received,
spoke for peace and with the heartiest
friendship for Japan and now he is accused
of simply playing a part. He did not. we
are told mean what he said and Japan did
not believe him. 1t was all a masquerade.
and war will come after all.
War is not on the cards, and cannot be
forced by jngoes. either for political
stock jUbbing purposes