The Washington times., 1915-06-08
JAPAN s REAL
DESIGNS UPON
CHINA HID BY
RELIEF" PLEA
Military and Political Ambition
Paramount Over Her Eco
nomic Situation Now Press
ing For Solution.
By OSCAR KING DAVIS.


many years Japanese statesman
ship has devoted itself with in
creasing concentration to the
problem of China.
As | have pointed out in previ-
Gus letters, Japan is facing a seri-
Gus economic situation through the
press of rapidly increasing popula-
ton in her restricted area, which
urgently demands relief. 1t is
quite natural that she should turn
to China to find the first immedi-
ate measure of that relief.
There. are two ways in which.
China can afford it. Much Of her
territory is capable Of supporting
materially greater population
than now occupies it. She has
room for many thousands Of Japa-
nese who could find permanent
homes within her borders, thus
furnishing a direct and immediate
outlet for the press of agricultural
population in Japan. ,.-
JAPAN'S REAL AMBITION.
Also China has great and increasing
commercial wants. the supply of which
by increasing Japanese industrial &C
tivity at home could easily furnish on
even greater measure Of relief although
not so direct or prompt.
If the effort to find solution for this
economic problem were the only motive
p, tor Japan's present activities in China,
It iS safe to say she would find no sub
stantial opposition, so far as other ma :
tions are concerned, in the development
of her plans. S,r.. ~.
The belief is general and positive
that Japnn's real aD bitioR iR China
Ii military and political and that eco-
nomic considerations arc purely see-
ondary.
This belief is held by men whose ex-
perience qualities them, II anything
can. to give expert testimony on this
question. They are Americans. British.
Spanish. Italians, and of other nationai-
tiles. as well as Chinese.
Cloak To Her Designs.
They believe that Japan's empha sis
upon the Importance Of China as a
means of settling the economic problem
that Is pressing her so hard at home,
and her ostensibe anxiety to make the
most OF every possibility for commercial
development in this land of unnumber-
q nd INIT fnd n,>tt mi
ties, are intended in truth to serve only
as a cloak to hide her real designs
from the great powers of the world
which have pledged themselves with
Japan to preserve China as a common
market place for all. and which Japan
fears would be quick to resent and
check her activity II once the true pur-
pose of 1t should become clear.
The japanese have labored to create
and maintain that impression. first by
insisting upon absolute secrecy through
out the entire course of the negotia-
tons second, by giving to the United
States and other foreign governments
an official statement Of the demands
which omitted ten Of the twenty-one
counts, including some which Japan her
self regards as the vital parts Of the
whole matter; and third. when this at
tempted suppression was disclosed by
seeking to convey to the United States
and other foreign governments the i'm
preston that the suppressed items were
not important. were not submitted as
demands, but were in fact only requests,
put in for the purpose of negotiation
that is, for trading purposes.
In the early part of 1902 Japan and
Great Britain concluded their first
agreement in the nature Of an alliance
The first article Of this agreement pro-
vided that the high contracting parties
having mutually recognized the inde-
pendence of China and Korea, declare
themselves to be entirely uninfiuenced
by any aggressive tendencies in either
It is important to bear In mind
throughout the consideration Of the
present situation. the language and the
pledges of this article. Japan specific
which is chiefly interested In China.
and specifically declares herself to be
''uninfluenced by any aggressive tenden-
cies" in China or Korea.
Free Hand In Korea.
Her subsequent action in annexins
Korea might be held somewhat to in
validate her pledge regarding China, but
II is to be remembered that no other
power. after the Russo-Japanese war
was specially interested in Korea, ana
there was no incentive for any nation
to interfere for the preservation of the
Independence and integrity of the her.
init kingdom.
Consequently Japan had free hand
there. In fact. Great Britain, conceded
Japan's freedom of action in Korea in
| article s OF the AnBlO-JdpaneSet treaty OIL
alliance IN August, 1905. which replaced
the original agreement of 1902.
The situation regarding Japan's de-
mands upon China today Is vastly diff.
ferent, for Great Britain has maintain
ed her interest in this country and the
Anglo-Japanese alliance of 1905 and its
renewal in 1911 make distinct and speci-
fic provision for the preservation OF
this interest.
The preamble Of the treaty Of 1905 de-
clares that its different articles have
for their object:
ta) The consolidation and main.
tenance of the general peace in the
regions of eastern Asia and of India
(b) the preservation of the common
interests of all powers in China by In
suring the Independence and inteKrity
OF the Chinese empire and the prin.
ciple of equal opportunities for the
commerce and industry of all nations
In China.
tc) The maintenance of the terri.
tOriaI rights OF the high contracting