Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-01
War-Scare Artists.

Boomers of the Japanese war-scare are
determined not to let the grass grow under
their feet. They are up and doing every day
and all day long. They will not accept Of
fetal denials. but scott at them and spurn
them as deliberate attempts to mislead the
public. They ridicule the explanation of the
Secretary of War that he is asking for for
tifcation money for Hawaii only In pursu-
ance of a plan formed long ago. They as
sert with the confidence of men charged
with roek-rbbed facts, that these requisi-
tons for appropriations are inspired by the
knowledge of the United States government
that war is so close at hand that the very
days precious.
Such industry is orthy of better cause,
and one more promising of success. The
war scare. however. In order to be a profita-
BILE commodity of news, must have a meas
ure of reasonableness. 1t must have some
foundation of fact. The Swettenham incl
dent. for an instance, might have furnished
the people who are always seeing red with
splendid chance to proclaim the close ap-
proach of dire trouble for the United States
and England but that 1t was promptly put
into the personal column" by the exercise
of common sense exhibited by both govern
ments.
In this Japanese affair there is absolutely
nothing on the American side to cause ap-
prehension. Our people are proceeding very
calmly about their business and are trying
In their approved manner to untangle knot
which relates to the rights of certain orien-
tails to attend the public schools of Califor-
MIA. Nobody is affronting individual JAP
anese. Nobody Is tearing down the japanese
flag. Nobody is writing letters to japanese
admirals. Everything on this side is calm,
and outside of professional war-scare cir
Giles not even the keenest ear has thus iar
detected the sound of grumbling by the
war dogs.
Over in Japan there may be little loose
talk by few hot-heads about the United
States. and perhaps here and there a small
mob forms and proceeds to demonstrate
In somewhat western fashion. But the
government, as far as this government has
been able to learn, is calm and judicial in
its bearing. 1t has made 10 move and said
no word indicating the least anxiety lest
the United States should fail in its duty in
the premises. 1t is in a most caIlous hard
hearted manner refusing to supply the
tokens of war preparation for which the
over-excited war-scare manufacturers in
this country are breathlessly waiting. 1t is
unkind but 1t is probably more to the taste
Of the Japanese administration than an ex-
hibition OF jingoism.
Fortunately in these days of good sense
and wide publicity and cable communica-
tons mere war-talk will not precipitate
war. The constant repetition of the scare
will not create reason for a conflict. Men
are not to be swayed from their judgment
and reduced to the level of the mob by the
simple iteration of the affrighted outcries of
very few sensationalists. Nevertheless
this sort of clamor does no good, and the
sooner it is checked the better 1t will be for
the peace of mind of that portion of the
public which has not fully measured the
littleness of the war-scare and Is not fully
aware of the sound basis of friendship ex-
listing between the United States and Japan.