Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-19

When I'm the early ffties Commc
dore Perry appeared in YedO bay L
lead Japan TO open her doors, IN
found a people more hide-bound b.
race prejudice than perhapssany othe
ON earth. Gently but firmly Americi
took Japan by the hand and intro
duced her to the family of nations
At first Japan resented this, but latel
she recognized her debt of gratitude
to the Republic of the West. From
1854 to 1905, America exhibited to
wards Japan the most cordial frieno
ship and was recognized as her great
teacher. Land of ideals as Japan is
the sentiment of gratitude there cher
ished gave birth to a depth Of friend
/ illness which has no parallel.
In 1906, however, the San Francisco
school excitement smote this sense OF
regard like a thunderbolt. At first ia
pan believed that this ebullition OF
feeling on our Pacific coast was mere
" a symptom of alien influence in
America, complicated with the pro
fessionalism of labor agitaters and
the shrewd tactics Of self-seeking pol
iticians.. Every means was taken 10
remove MISUNDERSTANDING. Deputa'
tons came to America. Companies Of
American business men and others
we're invited to Japan. Lecturers Tis.
tied the Japanese in the coast states
to expound to them their duty. The
imperial government cordially entered
into the "gentleman's agreement" and
has ever since not only kept its work
ing men from coming to the United
States, but has not allowed them to
90 to Mexico II they had relatives and
friends in this country. No govern
ment has ever made more persistent
endeayor to cultivate its neighbor's
friendship. .. +.
The U. s, Response. ~ RI ,
In response to this exhibition of
courtesy, the first thing our. country
did was to send its Atlantic feet t.
show that America possessed mailed
fist Japan spent half million doll
lars entertaining it as never feet OF
war vessels was entertained before.
Next in Congress a lone voice wat
heard proclaiming the certainty of a
war between the two nations. This
was repeated by the press, caught up
by army and navy officers in private
discussion, echoed even by American
educators of international repute, and
has led to the publication, year after
year, OF the most baseless statements,
such as Japan's ambitions in the di-
rection of Mexico and the Magdalena
bay canard. or that large section Of
Hawaiian laborers are soldiers in dis
guise; that Japan has designs upon
the Philippines or upon Hawaii, that
the '.gentleman's agreement" is sys-
tematically evaded on our northern
and southern frontiers. and the like.
This Is accompanied by the pubiica-
tons Of experiences with Japanese
servants and farm hands on the Pa
eific coast. Thus the American peo-
pie have. become wrongly educated to
distrust the Japanese.
The Japan Jinooist. .-.. ..s.-.
At the same time the sensational
press or the Japanese empire has
copied these American utterances and
made the most of them to create dis
Ike and distrust OF the United States, |
until II has become the conviction of |
millions Of the. people there that Ja-
pans next war must be with America, |
because America is determined to
fight them, No one in either nation |
wants o war The japanese govern
ment and the more thoughtful classes
cherish the warmest feelings OF friend
ship for us, but they have exhausted
every possible resource for removing
American distrust, and they have
failed.
The two nations are drifting into
the very condition that made war in
Europe Inevitable. The essential love
Of ideals in both should bind them
into the closest friendship. Both abb
hor war. Both love peace. Both have
far more resemblances than differ
ences. No immigrants, not even north l
would make more loyal Oh
useful citizens than the Japanese. But
with the continuance of the present /
conditions and the present trend, war
between the two countries is not inn
possible. Let some great injustice be
done to. Japanese, as Is not unthink-
able in view Of the school affair OF i
eight years ago or of last years sgi-
tation on the Pacific coast, and theI
astutest statesmen on both sides OF
The ocean may be powerless to stem
The aroused passions of the populace.
How 20 Mend Matters.
Something can be done to mend
matters. That is the present TASK
These two nations are still In such a
state Of receptiveness that right ac-
lion would cement both in bonds of
Our press can nightly
forward this by refusing TO print /
calculated to arouse dts
rust. Our schools should use text
books setting forth the truth con-
serning such mighty nations as Japan
md China and the strong attractive
features of their civilization Anql
most important of all. because most
easily accomplished II backed by pub
lie opinion, we should as q nation no
onger refuse to give the RESIDENT
Japanese the power Of selfdefense inn
Piled in the privilege Of naturaiiza.
ion. The Japanese is not allowed to
make good here in the way that the
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