Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-29
SAYS JAPAN IS
GETTING READY
LEADING BRITON REVIEWS
POLICY IN ORIENT
Former Mayor of Oxford Thinks Clash
with Powers nevitabIe-"Open
Door" in Manchuria Re-
versed, He States
Rv Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
VANCOUVER, May 28.-G. c. Druce,
former mayor of oxford, England. Sec
Britain and curator of the herbarium
of the University of Oxford. who has
just arrived here from the Orient after
an extensive tour of China, Korea and
Japan, gives a highly interesting but
somewhat pessimistic account of
Japans military and political activity
in the far east and the effect of the visit
of the American battleship fleet to that
part of the world.
"While the official classes are re-
served, the Japanese people are not the
least perturbed over the dispatch of
the American battleships to the Ori-
ent," said Mr.. Druce. "Of course every
body in the far east except the diplo-
mats associates the demonstration of
Americas naval power with the Man.
churian trade question. The famous
open door policy advocated by all the
white races is in reality nullity."
Japan, declares Mr.. Druce, has COM
pletely reversed the "open door" policy
in Manchuria excepting her own peo-
pie.
with the arrival of the American
battleship fleet in the Pacific and the
talk of trouble with the United States
in the future, Japanese statesmen, Mr..
Druce believes, are preparing for any
emergency.
Port Arthur, the former Russian
stronghold, is being made virtually i'm
pregnable, while fortifcations at Dalny,
a seaport and the railway terminus
on the main land now occupied by the
Japanese, are being rushed to compile
tion with feverish haste.
criU
that a clash with the powers over a
discontinuance of the discriminatory
policy now being carried out in favor
of Japanese subjects in the Orient is
Inevitable. Even If Japan is compelled
to back down he believes her surren-
der will bring it's advantages.
"Since Japan took possession of Man
churia," says Mr. Druce, "she has
handicapped all her competitors by a
system of duties or imposts which do
not apply to Japanese citizens.
1.-THE issue is live one in the Orient
today, and unless / am misinformed
there will be some developments ere
long. Every union trader or CONNER
cial traveller met had the same story
to relate of the methods adopted by
Japanese to keep European goods out
of Manchuria.
Japan, although poor is an aggres-
SlV6 ndllOIl WHICH Will
her advantages won by a successful
war even against a united front, unless
she gets some compensating advan-
tages.
Japan is in Manchuria to stay. The
coming of the American fleet has not
been overlooked by her statesmen, who
believe in preparing for any contin-
gency which may arise in the next few
years.
Port Arthur. which wthstood long
siege before its downfall, is being
made almost impregnable. 1t is a Sec
ond Gibraltar.
During my visit there I saw evil
dence of great military activity New
batteries are being built everywhere
If Port Arthur was strong during the
Russian occupation it will soon be
rendered doubly so. Dalny also is be-
ing fortified with almost feverish haste
Hitherto 1t had few defenses and was
abandoned by the Russians early in
the same war.
"Dalny is the great port of entry
for Manchuria. 1t is now Japanese
city. In Korea we heard many COM
plants of technical oppression of the
natives by the Japanese"