The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-29
viii Attempt No Invasion, but
Will Await Attack, Says
Authority.
EXPECTS TO CRUSH OUR
NAVY AWAY FROM HOME
Developments in China May
Furnish Cause of Conflict
Any Time.
By Leased Wire to The Tribune.

BY Leased Wire TO The Tribune.
NEW YORK, Jan. 2S.-A special
correspondent of the World at Toxic,
in speaking Of the possibility of war
between Japan and the United States,
says:
According to an official regarded
as the best authority, japan would not
make any attempt of attack or inva-
sion to gain temporary advantage,
only to be dislodged at some later
period, for she well knows and recog
nizes the resources and wealth OF the
United States.
Japan's 8 plans would be to concen-
trate all her naval strength in or near
home waters and await the arrival of
her foes. BY these means she would
draw the American navy far away
from its base of supplies, and by all
methods within her power she would
attempt to weaken the American naval
strength by means of torpedo attacks,
submarines, mines, subterfuges, etc,
before giving battle.'
Japan Would Wait.
''But suppose the American navy
would not cross the Pacific to meet the
Japanese, what then7' he was asked.
"Then,'' he said, tthey would, with
Oriental patience, wait and wait. 1t
doesn t cost so much to wait, and they
could wait while you Americans
couldn It; you would become restless
and would be sure to come, sooner or
later. After a time the American pub
lie. would clamor for something to be
navy would want to be doing some
thing. You could not wait as long as
they could, and they know it. If they
proved successful, then the much talked
of invasion of the Pacific coast and
the Philippines would be attempted
only after complete mastery Of the
pacific had been attained.
Japanese Are Opportunists.
"The Japanese are opportunists in
diplomacy, in commerce, in war. Their
diplomacy is never played on the broad,
wide principles of the United States,
but they gain an advantage whenever
an opportunity occurs. IN commerce
likewise, SO the war game will be
played. Strange, you hear Of a Japa
uese invasion on American territory,
but did you ever hear of any one dream
ing of an American invasion OF Japan,
as a possibility7 An island empire, with
half of the entire population (46,000,-
000), Of the United States-condensed
in an area smaller than that of one OF
our Pacific coast states-California-
and with formidable army and pop
ulation so loyal that it would mean
that every man, woman and child would
have to be practically annihilated to
permit of such an event.
An American naval authority to
whom this plan was outlined, said:
az am confident that that is Japan 8
plnn.''
In answer to the query, "What you
would do in such casei" he answered:
HWe would come right over here and
meet them
Another authority says:
"The probabilities of war between
Japan and the United States are most
remote. Japan does not want a war
with the United States. She will do
almost anything within reason to avoid
it.
China May Be Cause Of War.
"Chiua. however, is in state of evo-
luton. bordering at times close on to
revolution. Japan and Russia 8 inter
ests are not China s interests. and it
would not be difficult matter to pre-
clpitate events with tragic consequences
tage to do so. The burden of an I'M
mense army which Japan is bearing is
exp ined by the Japanese that it is
for use in China
''Should trouble break out in China,
Japan is going to take the lead as she
claims as her right in the far east and
She will be on the spot first, properly
and effectively.
"Peking is the diplomatic cockpit
of the nations today. and while every
one hopes to see a soreveipn China
maintained. very much depends on
America. =