Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-24
NO WAR WITH JAPAN.
DR.. EDWORDS THINKS THERE IS NO
DANGER OF CONFLICT.
But Should this Occur. the Filipinos Would
Enlist Under the American Banner. as
They Believe the japanese are
Barbarous Nation.

Manila. P. l.. May IA 4:-From let
ters reaching me from home learn
that a great deal of interest is shown
in the possibility of the Japanese
taking the Philippines away from the
United States. There may be pos
sibility of this happening, but / do
not think there is any probability of
it. While it is true that Japan could,
as a war measure, land hundreds of
thousands of troops on the islands be-
fore the United States could get her
troop ships started across the Pacific,
it must be remembered that in a war
of this kind the Japanese would also
have to reckon with the natives.
While many Of the semi-savage tribes
are inimical to Americans they would
take no part in war between Ameri-
ca and Japan because they are far in
the interior. The Tagalogs in Manila
are especially friendly to the United
States, and would unhesitatingly
enroll themselves under the stars and
stripes if it came to question of
American or Japanese supremacy on
the islands.
| Since the American occupation the
Filipinos have learned much about
government and have also learned that
the Spanish rule which was over them
for centuries kept them back in their
development. They now understand
that American domination means all
that is best for them. and if it comes
to test of loyalty they will side with
Americans. Then. too, there is the
old feelingsthat has been handed down
for many generations that the Japan
ese are their enemies and are bar
barous race of people. I spoke of this
in one of my former letters.
If there should come war between
America and Japan it may be set
down as fact that the Philippines
will be the initial battle ground. and
that the Japanese will:be driven back
to their own country by the combined
force of Americans and Filipinos.
Manila is we'll fortified and could
maintain seige for many months
sufficiently long to allow our trans
ports TO arrive conveyed by the great
battleship fleet now on its way to San
Francisco. 1t would take eight days
for the Japanese to send their troop
ships to the Philippines after declara-
tion of war. and those troops would
have to meet a guerilla warfare from
the time they landed until they got
out of the country. and Filipinos are
adopts at this sort of fighting.
But aside from this it must be re-
membered that Manila harbor is well
protected with torpedoes. and an at
tack from the land side w0uld re-
quire an army as beseiged Port Ar
thur. There is rumor that a large
portion Of the japanese feet has sailed
toward America, but no one knows
anything about it. Mysterious re-
ports Of strange warships seen along
the coast of the islands are almost
daily. but there has come no authentic
report of any foreign war vessels.
One report says that six fast cruisers
have been sent to Hawaii on q scout
ing expedition, bit this is not be-
lieved. for such a force could not go
to Hawaii and back without coaling.
and there would be no reason for
them to make this scout without
being seen.
| talked with prominent army
officer here, today, about the situa-
tion. He ha s been connected with the
troops on the Islands for number of
years. and has given close study to
the situation. He was guarded In his
talk relating to Notifications. and
means of repelling Japanese attack,
but was emphatic in his declaration
that the Philippines were in no. last
ing danger, even should there be such
a thing as war with japan. In
speaking of such contingency he
made this significant remark:
1.-THE Japanese are secretive
people. and do not tell what they are
doing or what they intend doing, but
they do not know what we are doing.
so honors are about even on that
score
I asked IL he meant that secret pre-
paTations were being made for defense
of the islands, and his answer was a
smile as he said, 'that is for the Japs
to find out"
No one here who understands JAP
anese character considers war even q
possibility. Remember that while the
Japanese are "cokky" the government
of the nation is not composed of fools,