Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-07
.HEADOF THROOP
TALKS ON JAPAN
DEGREES WAR AND EXPLAINS
COMMERCIAL ADVANCE
LESSONS TAUGHT BY AMERICA
RAPIDLY MASTERED
City C,Ib Passes Resolutions Indors-
ing Movement to Amend State
Constitution by Inserting
Initiative

the IHTOOp HOlyI0cHulc Institute OF
Pasadena, was the chief speaker at the
regular meeting of the City club at the
Westminster yesterday. His subject
was California and Japan" and he is
well qualified to discuss such a topic,
for he was five years in the educational
service of the Japanese government.
He has written several books on Jap
anese questions that have become
standard in their line
DR.. Scherer did not discuss the reIa-
tionS between California and Japan
from a warlike point of view. There
is no doubt of the final outcome of war
between the United States and JAPAN"
he said, "but such war would be
crime against civilization
He discussed the Japanese situation
from purely commercial standpoint,
and, quoting figures, showed the COM
mercial advancement of Japan in the
last few years.
California should feel unusually
kindly toward JAPAN said DR.. Scner-
er, because the Japanese door was
opened chiefly for the benefit of Cali
fornia trade"
The speaker read the letter sent by
President Fillmore to the japanese en-
perOr, Admiral Perry being the bearer,
which described the vast resources of
California in gold, silver and precious
stones. and asked frankly for congenial
trade relations.
1.-THE gates of Japan were forcibly
opened for trade with the United States
fifty-iVe years ago, and since that time
Japan has developed marvelously in
commercialism,' said DR.. Scherer.
Japan has two weapons that have
made this rapid advancement possible.
1t has large working population, with
a low standard of living, and a COM
bination of business interests the like
of which has never before been known
in the world. Japans commercial
friendship is worth keeping.
Government Has Monopoly
THE japanese government has gone
into business on a large scale. For
merly the American tobacco trust made
enormous profits in Japan. Now the
Japanese government takes these prof
its. The government has established a
system that practically amounts to a
monopoly of the tobacco business. Tt
has monopoly of salt and camphor,
and plans monopolies along other lines.
AS soon as we go into their country
and teach them, they profit by this
teaching and take over the business
themselves. Japan has been called a
poor country. 1t is poor in natural re-
sources but rich in brains"
The speaker quoted more figures to
show how Japan has developed in man
ufactures from almost nothing to mil
lions of dollars a year. The govern
ment is also developing rich wheat
lands in Manchuria, acquired in the set
tlement of the war with Russia, and
will soon be able to feed the entire
ASiatic Pacific coast with this wheat
In conclusion DR.. Scherer said: Jap
an has probably initiated western
methods rather too we'll for our COM
fort, but we must remember we taught |
them how to do it. l believe absolute
ly in the expressions of good faith be-
tween Japan and America made by
high Japanese officials, but there Isl
strong opposition to the government in
Japan and the government has been
forced to bring on wars it did not want
to maintain its standing. We should
be careful in our legislation lest we in
flame these highly sensitive people"
William r. George Speaks
William r. George, founder Of the
George Junior republics, gave a con-
versatfonaI talk on the work he is do
ing for boys and girls. He explained
the methods pursued in the republics,
and interested his hearers to such an
extent that he was peppered with queS-
tions before they would let him sit
down. He said a national organization
was being started for establishing these
Junior republics in every state in the
Union.
He has a novel method for the treat
ment of criminals, and this he ex-
planned to the City club It is to Sc
cure thousands Of acres of land, and
when a criminal is sentenced, instead
of sending him to the penitentiary,
send him to the colony to be estab-
lished on this land. This colony would
be composed of criminals. These Grim
inals he would let make their own Jaws
and enforce them, and q transgressorI
against these laws would be sent to
another colony. This colony would also
make it's own laws. and tranSgressors
would be sent to still another colony,
until the law breaker had found his
own level. He would have a board of
experts pass on the fitness of these
men to return to the society from which
they were sent, after serving a certain
length of time, and in this way their
sentences would be determined by their
own conduct.
Initiative Endorsed
The club passed resolutions indorsing
the constitutional amendment pending
before the state legislature for the in
corporation OF the initiative into the
constitution This bill provids that 10
state may demand a constitutional
amendment, or a statute may be sub
mitted to vote of the people at a gen
eral election. DR.. John r. Haynes will
go to Sacramento Monday to further
the interests of this bill, and will take
these resolutions with him for presen-
tation to the state legislature.
CHARGED WITH BURGLARY,
CAIN Tn LAVE nnMEEccEN|