The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-02-14
sTil.. TALK or WAR.
Japan Said to He Seeking q Pre-
text to Begin Hostiliffes.

Although 1t is asserted that Pacific
coast congressman and president
Roosevelt have reached a thorough un-
derstanding as ta the japanese anair
and that the vexatious problem Is no
longer cause for apprehension. one
cannot fail to note the defiant attitude
of the California Assembly and the
suspicious insistence Of Secretary Taft
that the government must fortify the
Hawaiian Islands. Whatever his ar
gument, 1t has convinced Congress. and
provision is Incorporated in the appro'
priations bill for improving Pearl Har-
Dor.
Declaring that Japan is seeking
pretext to begin war with the United
States, Captain Richmond Pearson Hob
son, U. s. n, retired, insisted in an
interview at New York that he had
personally seen an ultimatum sent by
the japanese government to Washing
ton, in which this country Is directed
to take back into the public schools the
children barred by California, 'or take
the consequences" This ultimatum, he
said, had been delivered by Japan's
ambassador to Secretary Root.
While on the surface, 1t seems alb
surd to discuss the probability Of a
war with Japan, it must not he for
gotten that history records many
mighty conflicts that have grown out OF
seemingly trivial beginnings. AS t" the
action of the San Francisco school
board, the administration maintains
that it is in contravention to our treaty
with Japan, but should the Federal
court hold otherwise, obviously the gov
ernment can do nothing else than to
disclaim responsibility. Are the Japa-
nose broad enough to understand and
to accept the situation in such an
event? Will they construe the Presi-
dents activity in the matter as evil
dcnce Of the governments good inten-
tions and appreciate the fact that hos
tility 20 them on the part of citizens of
California is not a reflection OF popu-
lar opinion outside of California? Or,
is it a fact, as some insist. that Japan
is not trying to avoid 4 war. but is
seeking pretext for declaring war?
Should the latter presumption prove
true, refusal on the part OF California
to open her schools to japanese pupils
and affirmation by the Federal court OF
her right to do so, would be excuse
enough cor Japan to invade California,
and that would be tantamount to
declaration Of war against this nation.
The Toledo Blade, discussing the
matter, says it has taken the position
heretofore that the controlling ele-
ments of the Japanese government, the
leaders in council, would deprecate
conflict with the United States. We
have been of the opinion, based on in
formation from Toxic, that the Japa-
nese were weary of blood-shedding,
and, while 1t is natural they should
feel elated over the signal defeat Of
Russia, they have a surfeit of war and
are ambitious to become q world pow
er through the peaceful development of
their resources. 1t was supposed, more
over. that the enormous outlay of funds
which the Russian conflict entailed had
impoverished the imperial treasury, and
that. even If there were a war party in
the island, 1t could not prevail against
the wisdom of conservatism, which
would encourage peace--at least until
the country had recovered its credit.
But it is more than hinted that Japan
far from being without a champion, has
already been assured that funds would
not be lacking in the event 1t should
come to clash with this government
and enough authenticity is attached to
this report to make it worthy of con-
sideration. No intimation is given as
to the nation interested in the pro-
posed flagellation, and we are there
fore left to speculate in the dark.
But another version is that this
whole affair Is concocted for the pur-
pose of bringing the Californians to
their senses, a diplomatic move on the
part of the administration to accom-
plish through fear what persuasion has
failed to accomplish-the abandonment
by the San Francisco school authorities
of policy that Is annoying to this ma.
tion and irritating to Japan.