The Irish standard., 1908-02-29

Again, the grim spectre Of war be-
tween the United States and Japan
appears in the columns of some Euro
pean and American newspapers. 1t is
asserted that the conflict is inevitable;
that sooner or later, these two power
full and ambitious nations will have
to settle their differences at the can
mons mouth; that the actual strained
relations, increasing day by day, must
needs eventually reach the breaking
point.
In Japan the progressive Party"
whose influence is daily becoming
stronger, does it's best to arouse the
people to IL white heat of excitement
and animosity against the Americans.
1t urges the Government to take eX-
treme measures and openly advocates
war; The fiery Viscount Vansi, a
member of the House of Peers, is the
leader of the party.
This condition off affairs seems to
be similar to that which existed some
time previous to the late Russo-Jap-
anese war.
On this side Of the Pacific, the peo-
pie remain calm, almost Indifferent.
Conscious Of this mighty war, Uncle
Sam can afford to look into the flu
ture without the least uneasiness and
fear. Stat molesua. Some even
think that war is impossible, because,
they say, Japan is no fool and will not
venture into an unequal struggle in
which she would be crushed. The Jap
enese earthen pot fears the powerful
American iron pot, and thus she will
keep quiet.
Since, then, the question is most
timely, let us have a talk about the
:. future war. Let us try to find ous some
of the causes leading to the strained
as far as possible, forecast what would
happen in case Of an armed clash.
First Of all where can the growing
ill-feeling Of Japan against us come
from? What is the cause of it? What
is the reason? During the Russo-Jap
anese war we openly sympathized with
her and substantially assisted her in
her struggle with our money; on the
bravery and heroism of her soldiers,
wc lavished our admiration; her VIC
tories echoed in our hearts; we loaded
LII re, fn1 icc
we even called her our Sister Nation
and for a while, we seemed to walk
arm in arm with her, and to be the best
Of friends. Suddenly, between the two
friendly nations a chasm opened, on
each side of which the cannons are
now gaping at each other.
What is the reason of this tremen-
dous change? The recent affair Of
California, which has been so magni-
fled, cannot account for such a revo-
luton in our relations with Japan. 1t
has been reported that the public feel
ing against the United States caused
in Japan, by the action of the San
Francisco authorities, concerning the
school children, and by the mob at
tacks on Japanese residents, had re-
suited in diplomatic representations to
the State Department, couched in
terms so unusual as to be character
lied as bullying" War it is said. was
only averted by the magnanimity of
our Government. Whether this be true
or not, does matter little, because it is
clear that this Californian incident is
not the real and edequate cause of the
existing conflict. 1t was only sudden
and short eruption Of a chronic and
latent state of things.
The real cause of the actual strained
relations between Japan and the Unit
ed States lies deeper and is infinitely
more serious. Indeed, the conflict is
one of material interests. Japan is an
Industrial and commercial nation; of
a necessity she must be a colonizing
power. But as such she comes in con-