Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-08-21

of the preamble which states that one
Of the objects Of the treaty is the
consolidation and maintenance of the
general peace in the regions Of East
ern Asia and India But Japan puts
herself in the attitude Of a disturber
not a preserver Of the peace in East
ern Asia when she addresses to Ger
mans communication that plainly
means war Justification for making
war upon Germany not being clearly
d%iscernible in the terms of the treaty,
it is natural that there should be much
Japan has in view.
Her declaration that she demands
the surrender Of kiau-Chau by Ger
many with the intention Of restoring
that leased territory to China is re-
assuring, certainly. 1t was upon the
initiative of Secretary Hay hat the
powers pledged themselves to respect
the territorial integrity If China. But
as Sir Edward Grey said Of Germany's
assurances with respect to Belgium
and France, Japan's promise as to the
eventual transfer Of kiau-Chau to
China Is too narrow. When nations
are at war they strike at each other
where they may. Germany not only
has kiau-Chau. but she holds also the
Bismarck Islands, near New Guinea,
and the groups known as the Caroline.
Mariana, Marshall. and Pelew Islands
and a part Of the Samoan group.
Should Japan descend upon and seize
the Carolines, the Marshall Islands,
and German SANTA, she would be-
come a very near neighbor of ours in
Guam n in Samoa. I'M she would
have advanced a very considerable
distance toward Hawaii. The possess
sion Of these islands would give her
coaling and naval stations on the di-
rect line between the Panama canal
and the Philippines. 1t is not to be
supposed that We could view such
changes OF territorial ownership with
out anxiety.
Japan's assurances to our govern
ment that American interests in the
Pacific will be in no way threatened
by her hostile dealing with Germany
are to be accepted in good faith, of
curse. These are reinforced by the
British statement that Japan will now
confne her warfare operations to the
China sea. But there is A general be-
lief that It Is the policy Of Japan to
assert and maintain for herself su-
prematy and control in the Asiatic
waters of the Pacific with a view,
probably, to the ultimate exclusion
OF the influence of western nations.
The import of such a policy with re-
spect to the Philippines is, of course,
too plain to require pointing out.
While the Philippines are not a high
ly priced possession of the United
States, and although We have declared
our purpose to surrender them into
the control Of their own people as
soon as they are fitted for s%elf-gov-
eminent, nevertheless they are at
present territory belonging to US, and
it would be our duty to protect and
QelenQ lleHl.- or LHat reason "HeH
we gee Japan about to begin a war
which would in all probability give
her the possession Of important sta
lions along the line Of our communal
cations with the Philippines. We are
bound to inquire somewhat closely in
to the actual as we'll as.the avowed
purpose Of the undertaking.
The obvious fact that her treaty
with England in nowise makes this
step obligatory upon Japan inevitably
begets the suspicion hat in specify
ing the surrender of Kiau-Chau she
has not fully proclaimed her inten-
tions. This is a European war. ia
pans participation in the hostilities
appears to us to be unprovoked, and
it is accordingly unwelcome. In the
representations made at Washington
it was said that her purposes had been
frankly communicated to England.
England is at var with Germany, and
perhaps it would be too much to *
pect that she should decline the aid
Of an ally who offered to assail and
annoy her enemy, even at a point so
as the coast Of China. But we
think England would have been we'll
advised had she dissuaded Japan from
this venture.