Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-13


n kl churia.' 1t has been the
Ia MAl subject of diplomatic notes
nsszEzssEzzzzll ar "r p reservations"
without number; 1t has
been the inspiration of hundred books
and ten thousand leading articles; in
its name more than a million Japanese
soldiers faced Russian guns on the
fields of battle; it's sacred inviolability
has been solemnly proclaimed in
treaties; and yet in spite of all this the
open door, in Manchuria is a myth.
The diplomatists suavely and smilingly
declare that the door is open because
some other diplomatists have assured
them that the gate is ajar The writer's
of books and leading articles are not
in agreement as to the meaning of the
phrase; some holding that the door is
open when it is technically open, even
if it is really shut at the time.
The Japanese government, which
marched a million men into Manchuria
to open the door, is now engaged in en-
ploying all its wits to keep the door
so nearly shut that no one else can get
in. The Japanese idea of the open door
seems to be to leave it open enough to
talk through the crack and no more.
The treaty of Portsmouth, the Hay
agreement, and other solemn obliga-
tions' of governments guaranteeing the
open door are openly and fiagrantly dis
ment upon which they are engrossed.
All of these things are known, but as
it is Japan and not China which is the
offender the nations look the other way
and pretend not to see. If China was in
actual control of Manchuria today, as
it is supposed to be by diplomatic
friction and if China acted in Man
churia as Japan is acting at this time,
the powers would descend upon Peking
and force satisfactory adjustment of
conditions within a week. But it Is
different thing when Japan Is con-
cerned. The power that descends upon
Toxic with a demand for the claritica-
tion of the Manchurian situation must
be prepared to back up that demand
with a few scores of battleships, about
two million soldiers and a billion dol
lars. Bluffing will not go; this little
transaction requires a showdown.
The situation in Manchuria, so far as
equal opportunity in trade is concerned.
is worse today than it has ever been
except during the period of Japanese
military occupation directly after the
close of the Russo Japanese war. All
the agitation about the open door
was begun by Russia's aggression in
this country, and that agitation was
carried on until it became legitimate
casus belli. But the fact was then,
gressiVe commercial country. The Rus
sian ambitions were territorial rather
than commercial Now that the Jap
anese are in possession of the control OF
Manchura there is a pretense of giving
equal trade opportunities, but as Japan
is an aggressive commercial nation, the
most aggressive and active upon earth,
the actual condition of foreign trade,
British German and American, is
worse than ever before.
The simple truth is that Japan, in its
efforts to capitalize the fruits OF its
victory over Russia, has included Man
churia with Korea in the general plan
of commercial exploitation of the Asia
tic mainland which is designed to start
imperial prosperity. The Japanese re-
gard Manchuria as their particular
province, and they will pay no attention
10 treaty obligations, the Hay agree
ment. Chinese rights or anything else
which interferes with their program;
They have been growing bolder ana
bolder in the past year, and as no
powerful hand has been put forth to
stop them they will continue along
these lines until not only Manchuria
but northern China is within their
grasp.
The commercial ambition of the
Japanese as a people may be equaled
in other countries, but never before IN
the history of the world has a nat1on
by it's government laid down such an
ambitious trade program as that Japan
is now pursuing. In all other countries
the governments are more or less anX-
ious to lend advice and aid to their
merchants and business men; and they
are willing to risk much to protect the
interests of their traders in foreign
lands. In Japan, however, the govern
ment and the trader are actually in
partnership. 1t is difficult to tell where
the government interests end and the
private interests begin The japanese
imperial household is majority stock
holder in practically all of the principal
business concerns of Japan, the men,
bers of the imperial family holding
shares as individuals. The partnership
with the government is then so ar
ranged that If there is a. profit it goes
into the purse of the imperial house
hold, but if there is loss the deficit
will come from the pockets of the tax
payers, via the public treasury.
AS concerns Manchuria, this inter-re-
lation of Japanese government and
business is peculiarly important. Japan
insists, and, because it doesn't dare do
otherwise, the nation accepts the assur-
ance, that the "open door, in Manchu-
ria Is an actuality. Diplomatic assur-
ances, however, do not reach business
conditions. Take for example the trade
in cotton piece goods. Before the
Russo-Japanese war half of the total
trade of the United States with China
was in Manchuria, and nearly all OF
And what about "woman's inability to
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