Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-23
German Attaches Utterances
About Japan and US.
Astonish Diplomats.
BRYAN SEES WILSON;
DECLINES TO COMMENT
President Is Irritated by the Alleged
Repeated Attempts to Embroil
This Country in War.

In the absence of official information
| White House and State Department,
| being uncommunicative, the belief pre-
| vailed in many quarters today that the
State Department will demand prompt
| explanation from the German embassy
here as to an admitted interview given
out by Baron Wilhelm Freiher Won
Schoen. attached for many years te
the German embassy at Toxic. and re-
| Gently handed his passports there.
Baron Won Schoen has arrived In
Washington. and is to be attached to the
Germany embassy in the United States
In the interview he asserts that the
Japanese people believe war with the
United States to be Unavoidable" and
goes on at length to picture numerous
demonstrations against the United
States at Toxic and elsewhere in the
| last few months. especially upon the
visit of Francisco, de la Barra to ia
pan as the special representative OF
Mexico and Gen. Huerta-
The interview throughout Is intend
ed, according to all constructions. to
incite feeling in the United states
against japan.
Bryan Sees Wilson.
Secretary Bryan visited the White
House today. but declined to comment
upon the purpose Of his conference. The
interview has created surprise in all cir
cles, and in some directions is regarded
as far more serious in its possible conse-
quences than the recent alleged interview
Of Sir Lionel Garden. former ambassador
Of Great Britain to Mexico, criticising the
policy OF the United States in withdraw
ing troops from Vera Cruz. The British
ambassador promptly repudiated the in
terview without acknowledging its au-
thenticity, and the English government
asserted its purpose to secure an explana-
ton from Sir Lionel Garden when he
LANDED in England.
While not criticising the United States
in any way. in the published interview
now receiving attention. Baron Won
Schoen Is viewed by some as attempting
to embroil the United States with Japan,
SO that this country will ultimately be-
come, for that reason, an ally Of Ger
many in the war abroad.
President Seems Irritated.
President Wilson has recently shown
marked signs of irritation over Incl
dents tending to disregard his deter
mination to keep this country fully
neutral, and 1t Is said by those close to
him that he will be equally annoyed at
deliberate activities on the part Of rep
resentatives of belligerents leading to
the creation OF hostile feeling in the
United States against any other coun-
try.
Recent hints from the White House
along certain lines have. been respected
blythe embassies, but in the present
ministration will now 60 further than
= :. .schosn,s Interview.
The interview given by Baron Won
Schoen Immediately upon his arrival
here. which has been called to the at
tention Of the State Department, fol-
lows:
II have heard many persons in Japan
say they believe war with the United
States Is unavoidable" said Baron Won
Schoen. and he repeated this today to
a representative OF The Star, in con-
Prom repeated statements OF this sort
| have come to believe that 1t Is the
general opinion of the Japanese peo-
pie. I have seen frequent evidence Of
There seems to be intense hatred for
the United States throughout Japan.
Il have Just come from Japan. hav-
An astonishing thing about the was is
people toward it. The people have no
interest in 1t at all. In England, Rus
STA and France there was really an
demonstrations for their own countries
were held, but nothing of the kind
took place in Japan. A stranger in
| that country would not know from ap-
pearances that Japan was at war.
Welcomed Mexican Trouble.
Before war was declared there were
preparations for it, and the people said,
Yes, 1T is for Russia or Amesica.' When
| the Mexican government sent Senior
Francisco de la Barra on a special
| mission to. Toxic there were great
demonstrations, although there was no
feeling of admiration by the people for
the Mexicans, despite the alleged race
kinshfp. 1t was the trouble between
gave the people an opportunity. on
the occasion Of de la Barra's visit, to
vent their feelings in great anti
American demonstrations.
Il remember just after going to
Japan in 1913. during tho negotiations
| between Washington and Toxic over
| the California Webb alien land act, an
| incident impressed me. I lived rather
close to the United States embassy,
and one morning as I went by it
| saw that some japanese people had
written on the walls big sentences in
| English insulting the United States
government.
| There was strong pro-Mexican
feeling In japan when the United
States had dif1culties with that re-
public on account of the Japanese an
tagontsm to the United States. Should
both Japan and England be victorious
in this war-which, of course, do not
believe is possible-the danger to the
| United States will be great.
Japan was not bound by the Anglo
Japanese alliance to enter this war.
She came to England's assistance be-
| cause England urged her to. Japan
was not consistent. Her declaration of
war said that the presence of German
forces at Tsingtau and of German war
ships in eastern waters was menace
to the peace Of the east. 1t is a fact
that between August 4 and Is we sug-
gested to Japan to neutralize the far
east, to abstain in that sphere from
warlike preparations. but Japan would
not assent. The main idea Of Great
Britain in getting Japan into the war
| was to do as much damage to Ger
many as possible. Tsingtau is of no
| vital interest to Germany. Japan's
| action Is resented by Germany most
for sentimental reasons.
Japan Friendly to Germany.
II was gratined to see in Japan man.
ifestations of very friendly feeling by
| the people for the Germans. I met a
German engineer who spent some time
in Japan after that country had de.
clared war, who said he never wal
treated so politely before. There is q
reason. The war is not at all popular
|