Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08
Imperial Statesman Scouts
Idea of Clash With
United States.
HORRORS OF CONFLICT
TAUGHT BY EXPERIENCE
Speaks of Amity Between His Coun.
try and America and Deplores
Jingoism
Special Dispatch 80 The star.

Special Dispatch 80 The star
NEW YORK. June 7.-Y Takegosht. q
member of the imperial diet OF Jaran.
WAS amazed while travelling i'm the United
states TO observe the light hearted man
ner I'm which the possibility of war was
treated by Americans generally In an
article written for the Sun he describes
how Japan breads war. because two re-
cent conflicts have taught her its hor-
rors. He has also something to say re-
garding a japanese counterpart of the
Monroe doctrine.
Here is the story written by the Japa-
nese statesman:
After long and interesting tour OF
the United States. during which I came
in contact with many leading people of
all classes and opinions | wish to state
my impressions AS a Japanese. especially
In regard to that aspect of American
thought most affecting relations with
Japan.
In the course of my recent tour | was
enabled to cover considerable extent
of territory. from Mexico in tho south
to Vancouver i'm the north. and thence as
far eastward as New York. returning
westward by way of New orleans. New
Mexico and Arizona, finally reaching
San Francisco on my way home.
The persons who most impressed
upon me the subject of which I wish To
write were politicians and journalists.
persons who to some extent, at least. are
in all countries supposed To represent
public opinion. Now the thing that as
tonished me was that the most frequent
questions put to me by these persons
had reference invariably to the posi-
bil!ty of war between America and
Japan.
Was an Awful Calamity.
lin the first place 1 cannot help sug-
| gesting that a good many people in
America think far too lightly Of so awful
| a calamity as war. l was indeed not
| little amazed at the apparently non.
| chalant strain adopted by some of my
interiocutors in discussing SO serious
subject as International slaughter
american have long been accustomed
| to regard themselves as a successful
people. But desirable attainment as
success is it is not without it's dangers.
Il venture to say that no sane japanese
has ever contemplated SO dire an even
l
fore the best reply to any suggestion OF
this nature is silence, Invariably tried
to impress upon my auestioners the uni
| versal Japanese conviction that war Win
any country. much more with 80 old
friend as America, II and would be the
most serious. the most tragic. the most
! inhuman and horrible event that could
possibly take place.
Japan today fears war with sane ana
wholesome dread because she Well knows
] Just what war means. There is perhaps
| no nation in the world today that de-
| plores the horrors of war more than does
Japan, because no other nation petteF
knows what war means.
america does not possess tins dread
| full and dearly purchased knowledge lof
| her people have had no real war expo
rience for many years
Il am well aware. of course. mat there
are mutitlIdes of good American citlZen$
| who view war as and my country 10 ana
| who are doing what they can 10 man
| their influence felt among the llght-heaft-
ed ma ioritN. The fact tnat one OF America
greatest and most successful men mas Al
an immense outlay established the 'aF-
negie Peace Foundation proves the "A
istence of a right and powerful mora
attitude toward war among the Amer
can people Nevertheless frequent and un-
seemlv references 10 the possibility OF
war between Japan and America con-
tinue to mar a certain type of American
newspaper representing. no doubt me
party to whom most of my criticism ap-
plies.
Not Due to Real Grievance.
But | beg to assure those TO whom my
words apply that If war is ever forced
into being between Japan and the United
States il will not have been due TO any
real grievance, but will he simply the ap-
palling result of the ignorant ana
lying rumors circulated and famed 10
blaze by that section of the American
population now so fertile in jingoists.
america in the midst of her great
wealth and prosperity. looks upon her
great and increasing fleet. manned by
gallant officers and men, with just pride.