Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15
President of Chase National
Talks of European Tour.
BRITISH OUR ONLY FRIENDS
Continental Europe Regards Ameri'
cans as Bumptious Lot.
SOME INTERESTING D
DATA
Foreigners Are Envious of Our
Growing Naval and Mill
tary Power.

NEW YORK. March 14.-Former Con-
troller of the Currency A. B. Hepburn
now president of the Chase National
Bank. after 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 care
full observer in Europe at the present
time is the fact that the continent OF
Europe does not like the United States.
They regard us a bumptious people that
ought to be spanked INTO some sort OF
decorum. and they would welcome and
rejoice in any international complica-
tons, not involving themselves, that
would bring us into difficulties. We are
their commercial and financial rivals.
They think. or affect to. that their
present financial and commercial diff
culties are chargeable TO us-their depres-
sion is a reflex of ours, accentuated by
the s1OO.OOO,OOO Of gold which we took
during December and January. The bal
ance of trade in favor Of the United
States during November. December and
January was over $:,OO,OOO,OO and every
dollar of gold we took was obtained by
commodity bills and yet they seem to
think that Europe loaned it to us as a
matter of favor.
Uncle Sam Disturbs Them.
1t is our growing Importance as a 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 hereto
fore been based. Neither does the con-
tinent Of Europe like Japan. and for SINH
lar reasons Her recently achieved naval
and military prestige and her English al
lance have brought Japan to the front
In the family of nations, an aggressive
force that must be reckoned with in world
politics.
1t calls a halt to territorial acquisition
in the east. and from now on Is likely to
mark recession In European influence
in Asia. Concomitant Herewith Euro
pean commerce is suffering a serious
cneck. and is bound in future, in view OF
and activity of the Japanese. to encounter
a competition heretofore unknown. The
yellow peril that doomed large in the
earlier stages of the Russo-Japanese wal
still stalks the continent OF Europe, al
though it is no longer polite to proclaim
the same.
Would Like to See a War.
1t follows from this condition of affairs
that nothing would be contemplated with
greater complacency by the continental
powers than a war between the United
States and Japan. A taxing OF the
strength and a wasting of the resources
of these two powers. not involving them
selves, would tend to restore their relative
power and precedence in the council OF
nations.
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 befall our feet in it's Pacific cruise
They consider Admiral Evans as some
thing Of swashbuckler. and they regard
the President as impulsive. But they seem
to have really persuaded themselves that
disaster or complications must ensue.
The fleet proceeded on its journey not
only without mishap. but In a manner
demonstrating is efficiency. The recep-
ton II received has proved the wisdom
of the cruise. and no one can fail to read
from ii the closer ties between the two
Americas, which must be of a great COM
mercial and political advantage in the
future. Our European censors are pro-
portionately 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 condition
of affairs that might bring to US disaster
or defeat. Englands interests parallel
ours and anything that would impair our
prestige would he alike nrei,,dic}a1 tn her