The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-06-05

nations declined Today the shadow
of the Russian Colossus bestriding the
world from the German Ocean to ths
gates of India, overload of Persia
/ supreme in the councils of Picking
master of Korea, owner of Manchuria
has passed
Now we know the weakness of the
Russian giant. But that which mer
yesterday believed Russia to be, japan
now is. Proclaiming with ali possible
) publicity her adherence to the doctrine
of the open door, she has adopted a
policy of national preference and ex-
elusive privilege; nominal.y standing
for the integrity of China. she is matur-
ing plans that can have no purpose II
they do not involve the passing OF
large parts of Chinese territory into
japanese hands, Korea she has al
ready occupied as her own particular
territory. She does not threaten India
from the north by the advance OF
armies, but her teachers are stirring
up unrest among the people of India,
and holding up visions of a united
East. And her official agents have for
two years been at work on a great
trade campaign there aimed directly
at Lancashire's most profitable mark
ct"
| These considerations in themselves
are pretty strong arguments why
Great Britain would not take the side
| of Japan in an Observation-Disclosures war.
But they are not half so strong as the
fact that the only thing which could
bring about war between the United
I nd ic tho =finn
in which England has even a greater
| interest than America. Wherever
England has a colony she finds Japan
| longing to send some Of her surplus
population there. Wherever the Union
Jack is supreme the Japanese would
like to become residents. AS he gains
more power, as he recuperates from
the devastations of war, that race pride
and self assertiveness which IS char
acteristic of the japanese will, if it
sees the opportunity, insist on the
right to go anywhere at any time. And
that means intense opposition in the
English colonies. 1t therefore is but
diplomatic necessity that England
should uphold America in her deter
mination to restrict Japanese immigra-
ton. Aside from the great power of
kindred blood in uniting nations in case
of war, the interests of the two Anglo
Saxon nations are identical in the mat
ter at stake.
But more than this. England knows
too well the might and power of the
United States. Canada is a permanent
hostage for peace. between the two
countries. Our armies could strike the
de- I'D cta or
food supply from there. Our own food
supply could be cut off from her, and
privateers could prevent the wealth
of India reaching her shores. 1t is true
she would have the larger navy. But
how much more would she have at
stake. Though the sun never sets on
her possessions, neither does it ever
set on the opportunities to strike her.
We have enough, if all comes to all,
to support war for years and years.
We could live a hundred years with
out buying a dollars worth of stuff
from abroad. Our power of national
endurance is beyond that of both Eng
land and Japan. We have great
deal at stake in case war should
come, it is true, but not nearly so much |
as England. II England and Japan
could take the Philippines from us, we
could certainly take a willing Canada
from them, and there are the British |
West Indies at our door.
Beyond this is to be remembered the
fact that every republic on the West
ern Hemisphere has had it's existence
guaranteed by the Monroe Doctrine,
the UNFOLDING of which is essential to
their future security and the integrity |
of the Western Hemisphere. They |
would be expected to contribute to the
upholding of the power that has been
their greatest assurance against for
eign aggression. Add to this the moral.
if not the physical, support Of one or
more of those European powers which
are jealous of England's sway of the
seas. and you have a combination
which even the British lion would not
care to tackle.
Another item which would add to the
would be the unrest of India.
1t will be recalled that once before
war in India was one of the
things which brought about victory
for Uncle Sam. Today revolt is in the
air in this same India. Let England
become engaged in an exhausting war
with the United States, and India will
make the most of the OPP
portunity to throw off the British yoke.
Cutting herself off from the supplies
and markets of the Western Hemis
phere, and affording India her long
looked for chance to revolt, would be
so disastrous to England that it might
easily prove her undoing as a leading
nation.
From whatever standpoint one takes
t, England's interests are against war
with the United States. Such a war
would be most disastrous to British
welfare and no one realizes this more
then the venerable John Bull. The
world may be sure that Japan will not
enter into a war with the United
States. or give this country occasion
% enter into a war with it, without
irst consulting Great Britain. And it
S not hard to conclude what England's
answer would be. Her whole future !
night depend upon that reply. When
he time comes for the choice to be {
made Englands answer will undoubt-
edly be an emphatic, straightout dec &
aration against war with the United {
states. The Japanese statesmen who {
lepend upon any other response will {
,e grievously disappointed. \
4.