The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-04

i tIclI dltitudS dS tAio NcN''S-S'
one of the best informed men In the
country on the subject his statements
carry weight. He says:
The federal council of the churcnes
OF Christ in America has recently or
ganized commission on relations
with Japan in order to perform an
| important and delicate mission on
behalf of the entire Christian body OF
] America. Since Japan has become
! involved In the conflict between Ger
many and Great Britain. efforts have
/ been frequently maze to arouse anti
1 Japanese feelings and suspicious In
this country In the furtherance of
my duty as the special representative
of the federal councils Japan COM
mission, l desire to set right, so far
as ] can, the thought of the American
people in regard to the feeling of the
| Japanese.
| The attitude of Japan to America
/ and to Christendom as d whole Is
highly complex To state without
qualification that Japan is thoroughly
| friendly, or to assert, as an attachee
/ in the German embassy is recently
reported to have asserted. that
/ throughout Japan there is an intense
hatred of the American people
and that the people believe that war
with the United States Is inevitable.
1 Is equally false. Twenty-siX years IN
Japan compel me to discount all
sweeping assertions about Japan. They
are never made by those who know
her.
While all Japanese doubtless felt
highly indignant at Germanys part
/ In forcing her to return Port Arthur
at the close of the Chino-Japanese
war and feel a certain satisfac tion
now in the opportunity of forcing
I Germany to return kiaochau to China,
| do not believe II would be true to
say that Japan's motive in the present
conflict is revenge The educated
ella sses of Japan admire the science
and philosophy OF Germany. and re-
gard her as great leader or world
civilization 1t is too bad that so
many Germans in their indignation
have allowed themselves to speak OF
Japan as barbarian" or of japanese
= "a heather Asiatics" Having lived
in both countries and known many
individuals of both lands, l DO not
hesitate to say that the average cul-
.ture OF japanese working ana mio-
| die classes is not inferior to. that' OF
1.-The corresponding classes in Germany.
In many respects there Is much nalur
likeness of spirit between the Two
nations. and there should be eoroiai
mutual appreciation.
+ea No Possible Danger OF war.
wish / could convince the Amer
lean people that there is no danger
whatever of war between Japan ana
America. For Japan 1t Is financially,
economically and physically impossi-
BILE and psychologically incedlnie.
Her responsible headers are Wen
a ware of this. She wants ana neeos
our friendship and she Will 90 any
thing consistent with national dignity
and honor to secure it. 1t Is equaily
inconceivabie that America s'ouia -,
tack Japan We need her frienosnip
in the promotion of the right reia-
lions between east and west
j MANY recent incidents show no"
fraal IL Japan's desire to MAINTAIN
friendship with America. FIRST Is tns
Continued honorable administrator
~ the 'gentlemen's agreement
whereby japanese labor inning ra.io''
Ito this country has been emf, ,r 81
stopped now for seven years Ah,s
has resulted in the diminuuon VI
Japanese in this country Wy
1000, or one-tenth.
, Thar there was that signincaht
st.tament by Count Okuma a year ago
that the problem Of the rlsnt r
ton between America ana 'ap"..
could not be solved by diplomacy or
lag,s,ation. and least Of all by war
Even the talk OF war but aggraVA.ssu
matters Japan's hope lay. ne SA =;
/ in appealing to the Christians
! America. asking that the prlhcip..s
of human brotherhood De
lv applied to Japan. r,s
Nav doubt the sincerity OF japan
,,eaee to return kiaochau to emma.
AZ rot The interest of Japan IS 10
praserve the integrity Of China. sue
needs also to convince China OK ner
own goodwill toward her NOT only
win both these ends be achieved by
Inc execution OF her pledge, but II
will also accomplish much in secur
ing Occidental confidence in Japan
| especially that Of America. Japan
has nothing to gain by hoiolhs Niau
chau and much to lose, lot she ~ou,a
deeply antagonize China and convince
America and every western land OF
! her duplicity, her spirit OF selnsn az
yressiop and her probable menace 10
world peace,
strong lingo Press In>Japan.
! Rut what Is Japan's real attituae
n America? This, as already stated.
| is a highly complicated mater.
Sweeping statements OF friendliness
or hostility are equally false. FROM
the opening of Japan until quite re-
GENTLY n9r Va "''N
Illness for us has been deep "'ue-
snread and real But there Ia no dis-
guising the fact that consioerapie
change has taken place the pass nve
+ Years, There is pretty strong lingo
press in Japan, and 1t has CONSIDER
bile influence on the masses Ameri-
can treatment of Japanese In TINS
land. moreover, has played into the
| hands of that press: for 1t has re-
! yealed invidious race discrimination
which has been exceedingly morti1y-
I ing to them. Japanese friendship mas
/ certainly cooled. Japan has been
waiting to see whether America VIII
accord her treatment that Is really
honorabl and friendly. Professions
of diplomats and preambles to trea-
Ties do not create friendly relations
land feelings These come into exist
ence through actual deeds OF justice
and goodwill Animosity arises
through actual deeds Of injury, in
Justice and insult. Now there Is no
doubt that the present treatment OF
Japan by America is of the latter sort.
Pnblication Of the official correspond
ence between our state department
and Japan's foreign office has not re-
Iieved the situation In Japan, but
rather aggravated it. / am only sur
prised that anti-American feeling In