Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-03-15
Their Development Tends to Disturb
Balance of Power.
EUROPE NO LONGER DOMINANT
New Conditions May Mean New Basis
Of Diplomacy.
WISH FATHER TO THOUGHT
War Between United states and
Japan Would Delay New order
of Things which Must
Come.

NEW YORK, March 1L-Former Comp
troller of the Currency A p. Hepburn,
now president Of the Chase National bank,
after a two months sojourn In Europe,
gave out the following interview today:
The one thing that most strongly i'm
presses itself upon the mind Of a careful
observer in Europe at the present time is
the fact that the continent OF Europe does
not like the United States. They regard
us as bumptious people that ought to be
spanked into some sort OF decorum, and
they would welcome and rejoice in any
international complications not involving
themselves. that would bring us into diff
ficulties. We are their commercial and
financial rivals. They think. or affect 20
think. that their present financial and com
mercial difficulties are chargeable- to US
that their depression is a reflex of ours,
accentuated by the 800, 10000 of gold which
we took during December and January.
The balance Of trade in favor of the United
States during November. December and
January was over sSOo.OOO,OOO and every dol
lar of gold we took was obtained by COM
modify bills. and yet they seem to think
that Europe loaned it to US as a matter of
favor.
DAHturDa haEance OF rover
vt is its growing Importance as naval
and military power that most disturbs
them. 1t disturbs the international bal
ance OF power as it heretofore existed and
upon which their diplomacy has heretofore
been based. Neither does the continent of
Europe like Japan, and for similar reasons.
It's recently achieved naval and military
prestige and its English alliance have
brought Japan to the front in the family
of nations an aggressive force that must
be reckoned with in world politics. It calls
halt to territorial acquisition in the east
and from now on is likely to mark a re-
cession in European influence In Asia.
Concomitant Herewith European commerce
is suffering a check and Is bound In future.
in view OF the wonderful commercial adap-
liability and activity OF the japanese. to
encounter a competition heretofore un-
known. The yellow peril that loomed
large in the earlier stages of the Russo
japanese war still stalks the continent OF
Europe, although 1t is no longer polite to
proclaim the same. 1t follows from this
condition OF affairs that nothing would be
contemplated with greater complaeency by
the continental powers than a war between
the United States and Japan. A taxing of
the StTenBln anu a Wasting OF the resources
of these two powers not involving them
selves would tend to restore their former
relative power and precedence in the coun-
ell of nations
wish Father to Thought.
This explains the repeated rumors from
Paris. Berlin and St Petersburg Of i'm
pending difficulties between the United
States and Japan, the wish is father to the
! thought, and the. continued prediction OF
| trouble is made in the hope OF melting the
same. They expected some disaster to be-
fall our fleet in its Pacific cruise They
consider Admiral Evans as something OF a
swashbuckler. and they regard the presi-
dent as impulsive, and they seem TO have
really persuaded themselves that disaster
or complications must ensue. The fleet pro-
ceeded on its journey not only without mis-
hap but in a manner demonstrating its
efficiency. The reception It received has
proved the wisdom OF the cruise. and nc
one can fail to read from it the closer ties
between the two Americas. which must be
Of great commercial and political advan-
tage in the future. Our European censors
are proportionately disappointed.
1T was never. more apparent than now
that the only European friend we have Is
England. England is the only European
power that would not welcome a condition
Of affairs that might bring US disaster oi
defeat. England's interests parallel ours
and anything that would impair our pres
/ tige would be alike prejudicial TO it,"
4