The Washington herald., 1914-01-12

with . nation whose recorded history
runs back loo years beyond the time
when our sncestors were hanging on
the fringe Of the Atlantic.
when our forefafhers roamed the for
ests Of Europe. little removed from
savases. Japan was already . great Asi-
attic. power.
when we were pottins Indians after
church. on Gods most holy day. Zamsts.
or Japan. had placed its best lacquer
and bronze work In the temples Of its
people fourteen centuries before.
Our Influences.
History. for all time. win record that
our nation, born In these latter days,
opened Japan to modernity; we. a little
child, led them. A treaty of friendship
was established In 1854 by Commodore
Perry. In six years Japan was In touch
with European nations. In twenty-five
years Western laws were introduced and
codined. In thirty years the noble classes
were reorganized. In thirty-four years
a constitution was proclaimed. The first
Diet met In 1901. In forty years we and
Great Britain received the freedom Of tn >
entire Empire for our trade. In forty
eight years she was In alliance with
Great Britain on terms OF equality rela-
tive to offensive and defensive attacks,
and their mutual interests in maintaining
the Independence and territorial dignity
Of the Empires OF China and Korea.
Jspaa's Half Century Record.
The preceding statements appear i'm
portant or unimportant. according TO the
way we each look at national greatness.
II q nation that had slumbered for cen-
turtles In contentment with things already
attained. wishing only to be let alone.
can become q worid-power in less than
fifty years. then the reserve power OF
the Far East is something the world
must consider. In the Boxer uprising in
China, during 1900. Japan troops more
than held their own with the inter
national forces, marching on Pekin. Be
tween Perry's day and ours. Japan has
coped with a civil war and two great
nations. and won all three fights. She
brought ponderous China to its knees
in lss4-5. She thrashed China on sea and
on land, only to be euchred by an alliance
Of European powers. Ten years after,
or Just ten years ago, she challenged
Russia, the enormous, to mortal combat.
and achieved in one brief year the
deathless story OF port Arthur, Of the
sea fight of Togo with Rozhestvensky.
OF the march to Mukden and tremendous
twelve days struggle that produced for
Japan 1000 Russian captives. $500 Rus
sian dead. and victory: costing Japan
4, 900 losses from its force.
Her Psychology.
All that she has done can be accounted
for only by what she has been. Her
people have shown the national poise
that comes from centuries OF intimate
association with honorable deeds. Her
adaptability TO sudden change is testi-
mony to a deep-down patriotism that is
willing to sacrifice self for the common
good. Her rapid comprehension OF modern
things is proof Of a keen and highly de-
veloped national mind. Her leap from
improved superstition TO demonstrable
science is the most astounding thing of
all she has done. In the war with
Russia. or in the daily routine OF peace.
her Interpretation Of science as applied
to health puts to shame every other
lighting force in the world.
OF course. she is proud. Who would not
be with such a modern record or such
an ancient one? Her pride is, with her
people. a national religion. II is not a
cloak for brayado nor an emblem TO be
worn on special occasions and then laid
away In forgotten closets. II Is deep.
slow. powerful. compelling. II must be
reckoned with in all international rela-
tons. 1t Is not quick to anger. II
prompts such reserve as she has shown |
in her relations with us in 1913.
A Look at Ourselves.
We are now getting near to the thing |
that We should understand fully.
To our credit, and TO the gain of all, |
We opened Japans closed doors She |
has come out and taken her rightful |
place among the nations. Now we are |
to close our door on her, |
1s II she were unworthy OF our consider !
stion or our respect. IL IL a curious in.
that fortunately is not yet |
recorded as "A fnslity. |
We need her and her trade: but. be- |
yond all, the world needs her support in |
the Asiatic awakening that has already |
made China a near-republic and is yet |
20 make India self-governing
She needs us and our trade; but be- |
yond all she knows that the world needs |
BUR preponderating influence, for world |
peace. in the two Americas.
Great and greater destines await both |
nations. not to be attained by pettiness |
nor by Understanding each other. Great |
honor awaits us in perceiving that cour- |
.esy and an absence OF racial misiudS- |
nent are essential OF the freedom we |
brought to Japan is to be shown its /
proper Towering in ourselves.
Immigration Questions.
The diplomatic strain We have SUBJ
main from Californian insistence that /
Japanese shall not own real estate nor |
become citizens. II every nation took |
such a position relative TO every other |
nation, the world would be thrust back /
70 the armed suspicious OF earlier ages.
The last census showed 13,345,j4 for
sign-born in the United States; of these,
Isl were japanese. The foreign-born |
population added to population born OF |
oreign or mixed parentage. reaches the /
sast figure Of q, ,2s2; each 4f6 OF these |
contained one Japanese. The Japanese |
-epresent one in each 30 of our entire |
population. This shows that the admix-
ure is not startling. Even though, Cal
fornia has 70 per cent of our Japanese /
population; yet 81 per cent OF these are
-ural workers. without whom California
,rops would rot. Admitted that an in
ernational question should not be de-
:ided by the needs of prunes or apricots
,r oranges; still II brings up vividly the
question Of whether those who are good
.nough to work for US are not good
enough to be esteemed for their labors.
Furthermore, the present status in Asia
has placed before Japan great possibilities
Tor expansion In Formosa, Chosen
Korea, Manchuris, and China proper,
with certain possibilities in other regions,
whose control thrust us into Asiatic af-
fairs for a period which may be long or
nay be short. In that direction we need
Japan's friendship and not her hostility.
II is a bigger question than the one
California has brought to the forefront.
The Trade Situation.
We are Japan's second best customer.
L. L.. aNawN