Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-08
The Empire of Japan
VT-Relations with the United States
Bv Frederic j. Haskin
Bv Frederic j. HaSkin

ldo lHe IBnl 10 exclude japanese Ia
Dorers II 1t was deemed expedient.
| Under the same treaty Japan had the
| right to exclude laborers from the
| United States, and actually had in
/ force at the time the question was
| being discussed a law which prolib-
tied alien laborers coming into Japan.
The Washington government was con-
clliatory, and accepted Japan's assur-
/ ance that the emigration would be
stopped at home. For long time the
! japanese undertaking to stop the en-
/ igration was more hC9orea in the
breach than in the observance. but
| now that new passport regulations
have been adopted the number of
Japanese going to America has been
cut down 30 per cent. For the pres
ent year the emigration has been al
most nil.
Some time later, when it was pro-
posed In the California Legislature to
1 enact law prohibiting the owning of
real estate by aliens the Japanese
| government again protested with
| loud voice. Again the Washington
government was conciliatory and ex-
erted the influence of the federal gov
ernment to defeat the proposed legis-
lation. The Japanese attitude upon
this question Is preposterously anus
ing, in view OF the fact that the jap
| anese press today is devoting more
space to the question of excluding for
eigners than to any other topic, while
/ foreigners are not permitted to buy
| land in Japan. In every question
which Japan has raised with the Unit
ed States Japan has demanded the
very things which its own laws forbid
to Americans inrJGpan.
The spectacular voyage Of the Amer
lean battleship fleet around the world
Z Fiaa0rt
known to Theodore Roosevelt But
Asia believes and Japan believes that
it was not wholly unconnected with
the japanese situation. Certainly it
had a marked effect
1t is unthinkable that Japan intends
to go to war with the United States.
Despite the fact that Japan has picked
big quarrels about trivial matters, de-
spite the fact that Japan has talked
up to the Washington government
with unprecedented impudence, despite
| the fact that there is Japanese activity
in the Philippines, cold reason com
pels one to conclude that war is not
on the Japanese program. Japan
hasn't the money to prosecute a long
war with wealthy nation. Japan
depends upon the United States as its
best customer to take its tea and silks
and other products. And, further
more, among the Japanese people
there is still a genuine regard for
America because it was the United
States which showed Japan the way
to its present glory by opening its
ports to commerce with the world.
At the same time, Japan has thus
far succeeded in thwarting the Amer
lean policies in Asia. American trade
in Manchuria, which was the best
trade the United States had in Chinese
fayr ff-ax h.
ese competition. If that competition
had been fair and open there would
be no cause for complaint. But it has
been neither fair nor open. The Unit
ed States is the one nation among the
great powers which is in a position to
take positive steps to prevent en-
croachments upon the Chinese empire,
Once, when John Hay was secretary
of state and when the American re-
lations with all the powers were per-
fectly friendly and cordial, the Wash
ington government did prevent the
partition of China. At the same time
it obtained pledges from all the pow
eres promising not to violate the ad-
ministrative entity of the Chinese en-
pire.
Japan has violated that pledge, just
as it has violated the more solemn
obligations of the treaty of Ports
mouth. The United States has said
nothing. When China, hard pressed by
Japan, last March asked that the Man
churian questions be submitted to The
Hague tribunal, there was not one
power to supplement the request, not
even the United States. Does anyone
doubt that Washington would have
said LET it go to The Hague" If re-
lations between Japan and the United
States had been the same as they were
at the time of the Russo-Japanese war?
The true reason for the strained re-
Iations between Japan and America Is
to be found in the Japanese program
of imperial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT upon the
mainland of Asia. Thus far the Jap
anese diplomacy appears to have been
successful. But the future is not as
sured The time may come when the
Japanese will wish they could restore
the hearty confidence and friendship of
the masses of the American people,
something they have lost, probably for
ever.
The interests of Japan, intent upon
becoming the mistress of the Pacific,
and the interests of the United States,
as the greatest Pacific ocean power,
are directly in opposition in more than
one particular. So far as diplomacy
is concerned the relations between the
two nations are now cordial and
friendly. But there is mutual distrust
and suspicion. Until the question or
the supremacy of the Pacific is set
tied beyond all question there will new
er be time when men will not discuss
the probability of a war between thka
United States and Japan.
Tomorrow-America and China. y
A.