The Washington herald., 1914-12-22
Concerning Japan.

Many thoughtful men in the United States seem
to believe that if this country has any foreign
question its hands in the next few years It will
refer to our relations with Japan Dispatches from
the far East state that the one subject now dis
cussed in Japan to the exclusion of pretty nearly
everything else is the future of the territory taken
from Germany by the Japanese warriors in the
present war. Up to the present time this territory
includes Kiaochow, and the Marshall and Caroline
islands in the Pacific Ocean. As we understand it,
the argument put forward in Japan runs as follows:
In our ultimatum to Germany we promised to
restore Kiaochow to China its original possessor,
on condition that Germany relinquished her hold
without being compelled to do so by force of arms
But Germany did not surrender Kiaochow without
the expenditure of much blood and treasure by u.s.
Therefore, we are no longer bound by the promise
contained IN our ultimatum to give up Kiaochow
Also, as regards the Marshall and Caroline
islands the people of Japan seem to think that the
retention of these islands will be very small pay
ment' indeed, to Japan for the help she has given
to Great Britain. There is no doubt that at the
conference of nations that will be held after the
close of the war, Japan will urge in the strongest
way that she should be allowed to retain posses
sion OF the islands, Indeed, the Japanese claims
may go much further than this. The cables say
that the idea of consulting with any other nation
or with any other country, to her plans in the
Pacific is very repulsive to the Japanese people,
although, OF course the Japanese statesmen realize
that such consultation will be necessary. 1t will
probably be found that the government of Austria
liza will as vigorously oppose the ownership by
Japan of alltths territory, and especially of the
Marshall and Caroline islands, as will that of any
other country.
The government of our country will also,
doubtless, be found in opposition. But we wish to
raise the question very seriously and earnestly
whether such opposition should be raised, at any
rate SO far concerns the Pacific islands We
think that discerning and thoughtful people under
stand by this time that the great cause of jealousy
friction and war between nations harks back after
all, to the matter of a congested population. 1t is
this which has been at the bottom of every war in
which Germany has been engaged for the last fifty
years. Given case where the nations of the world
attempt to confne strong, active, enterprisng and
very prolific people within limited national bound
aries, and at the same time to hold on themselves
to wide extent of territory which is comparatively
and war between these nations and
the nation sought be shut up is as certain as that
the sun will rise and set
According to current statistics the population
in Japan, already very large, is increasing at a
rate of between six hundred thousand and mil
lion people year. English speaking peoples can
not go on shutting the doors of territory in Asia
and in the Pacific Ocean to Japan and at the same
time shutting their doors to Japanese immi-
grafton without incurring not only the danger, but
the certainty of an explosion. There are philoso-
pliers who think that wise and far-seeing states
manship on the part of the great European powers
which would have encouraged and allowed Ger
many outlet in recent years might have
averted the terrible wars that are now blackening
The pages of history. We do not know, nor do
we attempt to study out whether this conclusion
IS well founded or not but cannot see what
harm it will do the United States to allow Japan
to possess more territory in the Orient than she
docs.
And we can see very clearly that vast trouble
S bound TO result if Japan does not receive more
territory in which to accommodate her growing
population.