Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-18
RUSSLA'S need
NOW IS MENNOT
WAR MUNITIONS
Japan'S Leaders Plan to Aid
BY Manufacturing Sup
plies Heavily
(By Associated Press

the Entente Allies today. say Japanese
officials. The authorities have repeat.
eddy denied reports that Russia has
asked for troops and that Japan will
send troops. They are concentrating
their efforts on the big problem of in
creasing the output of munitions for
Russia.
The decision to enlarge government
arsenals and even establish special
factories pleases the military circles
of Japan who see in this an oppor-
tunity not only to help Russia and
hasten the end of the war but to ere
ate the means of increasing their own
permanent production. It signifies
military expansion without the neces
sity Of a home campaign Now that
arsenals are to be placed on a war
footing the engagements will remain
for future use and thus the actual ex-
pansion Of military equipment will
have been effected without attracting
the notice Of the public. This Is a
cause Of great satisfaction to the mill
tary interests. II is understood that
regular payments for the cost OF the
increased production will be made in
London-in cash. thus augmenting the
gold reserve held by the Japanese
government.
Japan Stands by Allies. 81 r..
Public opinion heartily endorses the
governments decision to place all its
resources at the disposal of the Allies
in the way of furnishing ammuni:
ton and general supplies. :,
"There is not q moments hesita
tion," says the Japan Times, yoicing
the sentiments of the Japanese press,
Elm making prompt response to this
demand for help from Russia. II Ia
the voice Of friend in need. To the
fullest capacity Of our arsenals, fac.
tories and workshops, national or prE
vate, we viii help our friends. Japan
is proud to be shown where and how
she can help. =.
Referring to the impracticability OF
sending troops the newspaper said:
I'VE know full we'll that our friends.
our Allies, will not ask or expect this
country to take the bread from the
mouths OF our children, to leave the
home unprotected, or make future. re.
coyery for this country impossible.
These are the only limits we set to
the share we are prepared to take In
the great struggle in which our friends
are Involved i @,.<.- .....Z :.
Great interest is attached here to
references to the European war just
made by Baron Takaaki Kato, ex.
foreign minister, In a series of po
litical addresses, because Baron Kato
directed the foreign policies OF Japar
during the first year OF the war. After
voicing Japan's desire to help the Al
lies with increased ammunition the
ex-minister intimated his belief that
Japan's physical capacity was INSULT.
cient to meet the needs OF Russia
still Japan would do all she could.
Turning to the war itself, Baron
Kato expressed the opinion that al
though Germany has been prepared to
a degree of perfection beyond the an.
ticipations OF the Allies her real
strength has passed its zenith and
|henceforth WIN begin to decay. -.
The statesman had something to say
of France and Great Britain and un-
doubtedly voiced the prevailing senti.
ment among japanese. France, he
declared, has brought her potential
power into play at last, but Britain
has not yet reused her dormant pow
er to action. Though many noblemen
in England have rallied around the
eolors some of the populace apparent
ly do not take much interest In the
life and death struggle in which the
nation has been plunged" This state
of things, the Baron observed, was In
sharp contrast to conditions in Japan
where the people in general have
played the main and decisive part In
two great wars. He believed the pres
emit war to be one of exhaustion and
expressed his unwayering conviction
that the Allies would win.
He was impatient, he said, with Jap
anese alarmists who were obsessed
with the absurd idea that Germany
will become mistress of the world In
the long run and eventually descend
urpou the Far East, seeking retaliation
from Japan,
viii Not Send Troops.
Baron Kato talked very plainly as
to why Japan would not send troops
to the European theaters Of war. "Such
a thing" he said, is an impossibilfty,
to say nothing Of the complete alb
sence of a proper casus belli." He
continued:
According to experts a large num-
Der Of troops would be needed but we
have no ships to transport large num-
bers. This difficulty might be over
come by q special agreement with the
Allied powers for the supply Of their
own transports but another and still
more serious difficulty is the financing
of such a step. The expenditure
would amount to thousands OF mil
lions of yen per annum. How could
such an enormous sum be raised? Ma
tional honor prevents us from fighting
at the expense of others. Assuming
that Japan resorts to loans for the
purpose, how could she raise or re-
deem such loans"
The general feeling in the various
walks Of Japanese life is that 1t would
be unwise for Japan to risk it's pres