Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-08
OF WORLDWIDE INTEREST
THE STAKE IN THE GAME
BY FREDERIC }. HAsklN

lated and published in Japan. But the
Japanese teachers have failed: the
Chinese students could not learn
everything in few months at Toxic,
and the books tell of broader and
richer field beyond Japan. If China is
to receive western civilization 1t must
have other teachers than the Japanese.
for their very pretensons of knowing
all that is best is additional proof of
the fact that "a little learning Is a
dangerous thing"
Japan is playing serious game
now, and with grownups. The time is
past for looking with wonder upon the
simplest thing 1t does merely because
1t Is Japan. 1t demands that 1t be
treated as one of the world powers and
the equal of any of them. Therefore
1t must come up to standard with it's
actions as well as its pretentions. 1t
holds itself to be fullgrown, and its
accountability must be in the same
measure. 1t hopes to accomplish its
purposes by force. Instead of trying
to build up its industries by taking
advantage of its cheap labor and max
ing goods to be sold in open competi-
tion, 1t seizes Korea and binds up Man
churia to make an especial market for
Japanese wares. If China does not
wish to buy Japanese goods, then
China must always be in danger of a
sound whipping.
The Japanese do not look ahead or
beneath. They initiate the appearance
of things with supreme disregard to
copying quality. They are willing to
sell cheap imitation for immediate
profit and depend for future orders on
their strength to keep out competitors.
This characteristic is shown in their
diplomacy which seizes upon a small
fn ya In ura
for instance the San Francisco school
affair. without looking forward to see
what larger advantageN might be
gained by holding hands off. 1t is
shown in their business by the fact
that industrial concerns divide their
earnings in dividends Immediately and
leave no balance for working capital.
They have initiated the superficial ap-
pearance of western things without
comprehending their spirit.
| So they are brow-beating old China
today, and attempting to keep the rest
of the world in the dark, all for the
sake of an advantage which they see
in the immediate future. True, all
hope of Japanese greatness lies on the
mainland of AsiF, but II Japan would
proceed along lines which would not
irritate the Chinese and antagonize
the rest of the world, its opportunity
would be many times greater. But
the Japanese 10 not see things In that
| light. They are going ahead with
| their Korean and Manchurian pro-
grams in spite of every warning rum
BILE, and they hope to have all China
in their grasp before 1t can awake
to resist them, and before the rest
o. the world is convinced that 1t Is
justified in interfering.
These criticisms are not those of an
enemy of Japan, nor do they solely
represent tbs opinions of those who
are hostile to 1t. Its friends would be
blind indeed could they not see the
drift of world opinion against Japan,
and foolish If they contended that
there was no justification for 1t. But
Japan depends upon it's own diplo-
macy to answer the objections with
out changing the conditions. To COM
plants that other nations are denied
equal rights of trade in Manchuria,
Japan declares that the "open door
| is open. To protests against harsh
treatment of Koreans and Chinese, the
reply is made that Japan is treating
the Koreans and Chinese better than
they have ever been treated before.
The complaints and protests may mul-
tiply, but the attitude of the Japanese
| is ever the same-denials and prom
| ises that are not fulfilled.
There is a great storm brewing. III
it breaks 1t may plunge the nations
into the bloodiest conflict in the his
tory of war. The biggest and richest
market in the world, the greatest store
house of undeveloped resources, and
the most abundant supply of intelligent
| labor is at stake. The white man has
never yet voluntarily retired from a
contest with another race. and 1t may
be depended upon that he VIII not
abandon the riches of China to Japan
He has signified his willingness to per-
init Japan to come in as an equal to
share and share alike, but further than
| this he will not concede. If Japan,
having an inch, demands an ell. there
will be a day CT reckoning, and even
that little which 1t has will be taken
| from 1t.
The outcome depends largely upon
! the Japanese themselves. They are
having their inning and the world is
looking on in judgment. No young ma
tion ever had more admirers or well
wishers at the outset, and no people IN
| history have ever been so pampered
and assisted. They have borrowed and
borrowed until now it it not unreason-
able If civilization demands something
| better in the way of interest than
| cheating in trade and misrepresenta-
tion in diplomacy. If Japan wishes to
recover the ground it is losing in world
opinion it can easily do so by playing
fair and keeping it's pledges. If these
| qualities are really not q part of Jap
anese character then it may be truly
said that civilizations fledgling has
| futtered out of the nest too soon.
| Copyright. 1908, by Frederic j. Haskin.)
| Observation-Disclosures In Hawaii