The Washington herald., 1908-05-04
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Special Correspondents The Washington Herald
Tokyo, March n.-Those who are close
~ observing far Eastern matters are
wondering how long it will be before
England renounces its treaty Of alliance
with Japan. When this treaty was made,
It was hailed with great satisfaction by
British subjects because OF the security
It afforded to England's possessions in
India and elsewhere in the East. There
was a great deal of reassuring talk about
the alliance being a guarantee OF the
peace of Asia. but # was pretty gener-
ally understood that John Bulls peace
of mind was the main object sought. It
seems that the advantage resulting from
sense OF territorial security has been
largely discounted by a feeling of dis
comfture over the aggressive manner in
which Japan has attacked British COM
merce. Events have so shaped them
selves as TO cause most Englishmen to
wish themselves well out Of their agree
ment with the japanese.
The first rude shock to British compOs-
ure occurred just a few months after the
alliance was made. The directors OF the
Nippon Yusen Kaisha, the japanese
Mail Steamship Company. held their an
nual meeting, and when their report was
published 1t was found to contain a most
hostile reference to British shipping in
terests. the threat being made openly 10
run the English marine out Of Eastern
waters This kind of talk about the
ally whose friendly support Is so vital
TO Japan's future was extremely indis-
Greet. because most Of the money used
TO build the Japanese steamships was
borrowed in London. The mistake was
recognized almost as soon as it was made
and the government attempted 10 buy up
the edition Of the newspaper that printed
the report. Most of the copies were OBJ
tained and destroyed, but the agent Of
one Of the British steamship lines got
hold of several papers containing the
hostile declaration and forwarded them
10 London. An attempt was then made
70 deny the accuracy Of the report. but
the bad effect Of the revelation Of Japans
ugly attitude toward her ally could not
be altogether overcome.
Heretofore the English merchants have
practically controlled the sugar trade
of China, carrying the raw product in
British ships from Java and the Philip
pines TO English refneries in South
China, and afterward distributing the re-
fined sugar 10 the market In British bot
toms. Now enter the japanese into this
trade. They collect raw sugar from
Java. FormOsa, and the Philippines
carry it 70 rehneries in Japan. and then
60 into the Eastern market against the
British. The japanese ships and ref1n-
cries are heavily subsidized by the gov
ernment. which renders further assist
ance to its nationals by making special
rates on the South Manchurian Railway.
Thus the Japanese government assists in
three important ways to hasten the com
plete Generalization OF the British sugar
trade
But this competition is all fair enough,
the reader will say. Why has Japan not
= the right to go after all the trade it can
get? Certainly it has the right, but It
lacks the money 10 back all this enter
prise. The funds necessary to carry on
this lively trade war came from Japan-
ese loans which were f10ated in London.
How long viii England continue to arm
its commercial enemy?
Formerly the British controlled the cot
ton goods trade in Central and Southern
China while the Americans supplied the
northern part Of the country The Eng
lish had almost a monopoly Of the cot
ton yarn trade for all OF China Now
the Japanese are cutting into the cotton
trade and causing equally as much havoc
as in the sugar business. japanese ships
are hauling the raw cotton from India
and America to mills In Japan. and the
finished product is going to the market
IN japanese bottoms and over the South
Manchurian Railway. AS in the case Of
sugar, the japanese are beating the Brit
ish cotton traders, using capital derived
in large part from loans loated in Eng
land. If the British money lenders are
willing to continue supplying Japan with
funds for this purpose. il does not con-
Germ any one else, but the onlOoker is
wondering how long it will be before
England viii awake to a full realiza-
ton Of the situation and balk on its
costly bargain with the japanese.
The manner in which the japanese are
conducting railway affairs in South Man
churia Is another cause of irritation TO
the British, causing them 90 look upon
the alliance with anything but favor
Millions of dollars have been borrowed
in London and spent in Germany and the
United States for railway equipment and
machinery. While neither the Germans
nor the Americans object TO the trade
which comes 10 them In this way. the
chagrin Of the British under the circum-
stances may well be understood.
For a better understanding of the sit
uation it is necessary TO review the ac-
tual status Of the several powers that
are concerned. Manchuria righnully be-
longs TO China. Russia occupied it after
the Boxer trouble OF eight years ago, and
later was driven out of the southern por-
ton because it selishly endeavored to
secure for itself the exclusive control Of
this rich country. When Japan went in
TO oust Russia, il was with the under
standing that the success of japanese
arms would mean the restoration OF the
open door policy or equal trading
rights for all nations. The assurances
Of Japans fair intentions were widely
published throughout England and Amer
lea with the result that a most favorab BILE
public opinion was created in these coun-
tries. America was led TO believe that
japanese success meant an open field.
and as consequence its moral support
was freely given. England, particularly.
believed that Japan would play fair with
her, and gave the moral and financial
assistance without which the forces of
the Mikado could not possibly have
pushed their campaign 70 success.
While England s primary object in SUD-
porting Japan may have been its fear OF
future Russian aggression on the In
dian border, it IS certain that John Bull
never regarded his new ally as the dan
gerous trade rival which Japan has prov
ed TO be. II Is said that England merely
used Japan as a cats paw to pull Brit
ish chestnuts out OF the Russian fire.
But at the same time it cannot be de-
MED that Russian aggression was more