Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-26
Monday, October rs, 1914.
Japan in the Pacific.


causes actual alarm to many Ameri
cans who make study of war reports
and incidents. An Augusta gentleman
called at this Office the other day
with genuine fear in his voice because
of conditions which he foresaw. HI
declared that Japan would never give
England, France and Russia would
have to give her what she demands
in the Pacific; that her coaling stations
and naval depots would give her the
menacing card over the United States
which she has long coveted; that her
hatred of America is deepseated, and
that she will never rest until she
controls the Pacific.
These sentiments are oft-repeated.
They are popular among those who
see in the present an all-enveloping
conf1agration. 1t Is easy at this time
to suspect Interior motives on the part
of Japan. 1t also might be easy for
the United States to hopelessly in
volve herself by the ill-considered
protest at this time. We have faith
that President Wilson will Withstand
all such bugbears. After the war all
can be explained and adjudicated,
with the weakened participants then
grateful that the United States .ad
been big enough and wise enough to
refrain from needless complications.
Now is the time for America to es-
tablish her superior claim as a disci-
pie Of peace and progress. Now she
can do more than possible at any
previous period, to establish a lasting
friendship with and win the confidence
Of Japan. We have no right to insinu-
ate by protest that Japan means other
than temporary occupancy of the
islands which she has seized for the
purpose of protecting her own and the
commerce of her allies.
Upon this subject the most sensible
utterance we have read was written
by the editor of the Baltimore Ameri-
can. He says:
Certain things may be said with
measurable confidence with regard to
the activities of Japan in the Pacific
Ocean. In the first place, there is alb
solutely no basis for crediting Japan
with Interior motives in its relations
with the United States in the Far
East. Again, there is no reason to
place other implications upon the oc-
cupancy of an island Of the Marshall
group and possibly one of the Caroline
group than the facts themselves war
rant. This is no time for subtle analy-
sis of motives nor for the building up
Of disturbing hypothesis based upon
matters of fact. The United States
has but one course open to it and that
is to receive the assurances Of Japan
as to the innocency of its policies in
the Pacific at their face value. All
such acts should be made matters of
inquiry, SO that the record may be
kept correctly. But there is no mater
ial for protest, in view of the fact
that for the United States to protest
would disclose absolute doubt as to the
genuineness Of the repeated avowels of
friendship of the island empire for this
country. 1t would cast serious impu-
tations upon Japan's purpose to make
the tenure of the islands it seiZes
merely temporary, for the purpose of
protecting its commerce and like STRAIT
egic interests. The United States
would by protest inject itself into the
heart OF the European war situation.
At times such as the present this
country should carefully refrain from
interference with the action Of any of
the belligerents where such action
does not infringe upon it's sovereignty
either as respects territory or COM
merce-the latter being, of course, sub
5ect to the laws of nations.
The busy swarm of spectators who
want to air their views and to exploit
their fears and to give vent to yelled
apprehensions are pernicious, whether
they are conscious of the fact or not.
1t requires no particular subtlety to
surmise that Japan would hold the
German islands, in case the war should
eventuate favorably for the Allies.
until such time as the United States
settles to its satisfaction the issues in
volved in the matters long in contro-
versy. 1t requires no special penetra-
ton to surmise that the island empire
might permanently hold these islands
so as to break the backbone of COM
mercial superiority that the United
States enjoys in the Paciiic through
possession of the stepping stones across
that ocean. II requires no profound
ability to think upon international SUBJ
jects to see here a movement that In
the event Of the success Of the Allies
will isolate the United States from
Far Eastern commerce and to that ex-
tent nullify the benefits counted upon
from the Panama Canal. These and
other more or less far-fetched hypoth
eses may be advanced. But the uues
ton is: Why advance them? WHY
create spirit OF unrest upon grounds
Of speculation? Why create a trouble
atmosphere for this country in the
Pacific regions? Japan has given posi-
tive assurances and England has back
ed them up. 1t is a fact that the oper-
atoms Of Japan have been extended to
the very regions where it averred IL
would refrain. But it sets up the claim
that in its promise there was neces4