The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-04-27
The Situation In China


ration of war on Kdssi2fF 1904, and her annexa-
ton of Korea in 1910, writes Putnam Weae, from
Picking. Ii,.t - A5G.i : '.k.co T. .43..I. 81,
Let us set matters dqwnycoldy and clearly and
see things in their proper perspective. Japan's
attitude towards China has not changed percepti-
bly, since her Statesmen quarter of century ago
laid it down AS root principle that Japan must
take advantage of %beri geographical positions as
quickly as possible and dominate all those portions
of the Asiatic Continent washed by the Pacific
Ocean. Even before then, for back in the unin-
formed days of the Shogunate, an astounding poll
teal instinct had made Japan drive back all Rus
sian attempts to get too close to her shores, and
to repel with passion the manoeuvres made both
to acquire the island of Tsushima and to debouch
into Korea.
But let us keep to the point For quarter OF
century--tRoughit may have been necessary to
check RusSia-the main objective has been China
To use a mathematical comparison China has al
ways been the Constant" and Russia the "vari-
able" Japan invaded Korea in 1894, deeming the
time ripe for the first great forward movement
but she overreached herself then in the matter of
Manchuria and had to fall back. Nothing dismay-
ed she set to work to rectify her mistake, strong
in the knowledge that her geographical position
after the forced retrocession of the Liaotung Pen
insula, not only was the Peninsula back in her
hands but her right of presumption had been adj
mittedly extended almost to the upper reaches
of the Sungari. There was desperate gambling
in men and money involved in all those rapid
moves, but the game was worth the candle as
Japanese statesmen knew She was prepared to
push on in the same way whenever an
opportunity offered itself and therefore when
China suddenly turned her back on the East and
by her revolution of 1911 declared to the world
that she wished definitely to enter the Western
family of nations Republic great menace
to her plans was quickly seen. But nations like
individuals cannot change their habits and their
modes of thought overnight and Japan patiently
waited By 1913 the new Chinese edhce so hast
lily raised had exhibited an immense crack which
took the form of rebellion which might have
broken down everything and produced real chaos
but for ,providential European loan. Japanese
statesmen, concentrating their minds on the pro-
blem of problems, drove a wedge swiftly in at
Marking and suddenly new method of push
ing another step forward when something else
happened. ~" 4
Something Will happen. The terrible war now
devastating Europe sounded in their ears as loud
as the trumpet-blastS which laid low the Walls
of Jericho. 1t was their luck if you like; for no
matter what your method may be you must have
that to assist you.
The luck that bears man the good things of
life and another disaster exhibited to the world
in glazing form on the 18th January, 1915. Eu-
rope absorbed in her drama-America made more
conscious of her impotence by the sweep of that
drama than any single circumstances since the
Declaration of independence in l776-at first hard
ly paid more than passing attention to the vague
rumors that great things in the making in
EASTERN Asia. And though the truth is now known
it is left to China to wrestle with the threads being
twisted round her future as best she may--for the
time being at least.
This much can be said today before the first
act is even completed No matter how much or
how little is conceded to Japan by paper Treaties,
the things of high Importance have become the
forest of alien rifles and swords being slowly and
carefully planted at strategical points throughout
the Chinese dominion on the fmsiest of preteXts
Before April is far advanced 10000 Japanese
troops will be distributed at six great centers AT
Moukden, Dairen, Tentsin, Tsingtao, Chinanu
and HankOw there will be garrsons of from 5000
to 5000 men prepared at any moment to demon
strate" and hoping that Chinese generals, suddenly
driven to desperation will beat the drum and pre-
cipitate "the inevitable conflict"
The prospect is not encouraging. Despite the
rigid determination Of Chinese negotators to con-
tinue to meet thrice weekly no matter what the
circumstances may become, and literally TO force
the negotiations to an amicable settlement by
ceding everything than can be honorably conceded,
the time has plainly arrived when treaties are not
very important World forces are in collision ev-
erywhere, cruelty and emption from the iron rule
that nations born to suffer until they have
proved that they are worthy Of more benign fate
The problem facing President Yuan Shih-kai is an
immense one. Yet this much canbe said. SO long
as he remains firm and does not allow the Rub
# ipIa he