The Washington times., 1914-08-18
IAPAN'S PURPOSES.

agating just now, is the notion Uha'
Japan is declaring war on Germany
in order to fight the United States.
Just how Japan will be better
equipped fer her alleged ultimate
purpose of crushing the United
States, by bearing the brunt OF
great war in her section Of the
world, is not explained. The apostles
of Japanophobia don't bother with
such details. It would demand some
adherence to logic and sense to deal
with them.
Japan's ally would never assent to
Japanese hostility toward the United
States at such a time as this. Con-
sider what it would mean.
First, the jingoes assume that
Japan is using Germany as an ex-
cuse for getting into the war. Once
in it, she is to fight, not Germany
but the United States.
Japan has not a navy comparable
TO that of the United States. Yet
she is expected to seize the Philip
pines, Guam, Samoa, the Hawaiian
Islands, and to land conquering
.,rmy on our Pacific coast, while at
he same time fighting another Port
t1thur siege on Kiaochow bay!
BEING England's ally, Japan's at
ok on US would bring England to
qpan's support; England would
ave to fight US.
But England's navy is in the North
ca, bottling up and begging for a
ght with Germany's navy.
If she took half of it away to fight
he United States, the German navy
would get out and drive British
commerce from the seas.
That would make it impossible for
Great Britain to get food. The
country would starve to death.
The only chance for England to
get food she needs is dependent on
the good will Of the United States.
If Japan forces US to be England's
enemy, we will not let her have any
more food.
But this is only a beginning. Eng
land is likely to have all the army
she can raise, in France, before three
months have passed.
She is even now calling on Canada
for help on the Continent.
Canada is right at our back door.
While the people of England are
starving for want of the food we
Only could give her, and her army is
away On the Continent, and her navy
is watching at the North Sea rat
hole to see that the German navy
doesn't get out, we will march an
army over into Canada and grab it!
Isn't all that perfectly logical and
obvious? Isn't it likely to have oc-
CURED to the Tokyo foreign office?
Isn't it probable that Premier AS
quith and Sir Edward Grey, even if
they were playing as cold-blooded a
yarne of empires and dyuasties as is
sttributed by the jingoes-isnt it
v,robable that they would have
hought Of these things? Isn't
E.. certain that they would have
minated to their ally in Tokyo that
or England to be starved to death
nd to have Canada taken away from
.er. all in the same breath, would be
Embarrassing?
One would think so. But the ex-
rene type of Japanophobe jingo
ioesn't think, and doesn't presume
hat anybody else does.
Japan, as a matter of fact, and as
We have repeatedly pointed out, has
perfectly good reason for taking
hiaochow hay away from Germany.
Ii was Germany that took a leading
part, along with Russia, in compel-
ing Japan to give up Port Arthur
after Japan had taken it, in 1895,
from China. Russia could not, even
then, have taken it, single-handed
from Japan. But Russia backed by
Germany did take it. Japan could
not fight Russia and Germany both
at once. She has since found time
10 fight Russia, and done it with
some credit. Now she is finding oc'
casion to fight Germany; and she
has justification for doing it.
But Japan will not now, nor after
the present war, turn her gun!
against the United States. Suppose
as the jingoes do-that Japan ex
poets Britain to help her, later on, II
lick the United States? How vii
England feel about taking on tht
United States, after she has had &
year or two of the present war
How much stomach will she have fol
another frst-class fight, after sh'
has starved and baniTupted ant
commercially prostrated herself ii
The conflict with Germany?
Isn't i. probable that England vii