The Washington times., 1915-06-07
.PEK|KG IN FEAR Of.
JAPANESE AMBITION.
AND RACIAL PRIDE.
Aspirations for World Domi-
nance Seen in Demands on
China, Says investigator.
By OSCAR KING DAVIS.

o" cNhhBp anu hOpoNy
er 1t is going to .erupt or not. II
has been rumbling and growing for
a long time.
A great deal of steam and smoke
have been emitted. and there 10 every
indication of serious trouble berore
long. But such indications have been
given often before and then nothing
happened. Perhaps 1t will be that
way now.
There Is only one subject OF con-
versation in Peking. 1t makes no dlr-
ference where you go the Japanese
demands furnish the cole topic OF
discussion. II you call on an official
Of the government he warns you that ina,
he cannot discuss the diplomatic STU
alton and then talks of nothing else.
The bearing OF his conversation may
be indirect but you understand well
enough what he is driving at.
Frankness Of Feeling.
In the foreign legations 1t Is much
the same II the diplomatist is an old
friend there Is naturally less pretense
OF reserve. But even II he 10 new
acquaintance tho formality IL soon dis
pensed with and in a short time yod are
down to "the situation" in earnest.
In the hotel, the club, and In private
houses. In tho banks and business or
fices. at the photographers or the dem
lists there IL a frankness OF feeling ana
expression decidedly significant OF tho
manner In which this subject Ia occupy
ing the thoughts OF the people who
live in the capital of China.
In only one quarter has there been
suppression or repression. That is in
the local newspapers. Much more de-
tailed information as to the exact na-
ture OF the Japanese demands and as
to the progress OF the negotiations has
been printed in outside papers than III
those of Picking. That Is due to the
careful effort OF the Chinese authorities
not to give open offense to the Japa-
nese.
OF course. the Information that comes
from the conferences of the plenipo-
tentiaries who have been conducting the
negotiations is Chinese In origin. The
Japanese have been vigorously and even
bitterly determined TO keep the whole
flair secret and have exercised their
| that purpose.
Clear Understanding.
But there has been a clear understand
Ing on the part OF the Chinese that their
| only hope OF salvation lay in letting the
| rest OF the world know what was really
going on In Picking. and so they have
been seeing to 1t that In one way or
another the real information found its
way to the public.
The original threat Of the Japanese
had effect for a long time. and II waa
with the utmost caution that any move
was made by the Chinese. But gradual
ly they have worked themselves up to a
| higher degree Of audacity and have
| even gone 30 far now as to publish
in Peking the full text Of the original
| demands.
Meantime Japan has modified those
deman nds. and we hear that she Is pre-
| senting her view OF the modification &c
tho rest of the world. relying on the
usual timidity OF the Chinese to pre-
vent a prompt showing Of the real sit
uation.
But the Chinese are likely to NEE
that by giving out the text OF the new
demands. SO that It may be compared
by everybody with that of the origina
document Our Information in the alb
sence of the new texts that the modi
fled demands are changed chiefly II
phraseology~ with but little modifica
tion in fact or purport.
| Spirit Of Nationality.
There is and oan be no doubt as to tn
main fact Japan knows as well as
not better than the rest OF the worl
that this 10 her great opportunity +
achieve the domination of China thn
she has desired and aimed at for man
years. Her statesmen, and especial
her military leaders. have been dream
Ing and schemins for more than quar-
The national egotism OF Japan 1
boundless. Her racial pride is on a pa
with It, and her ambition knows n
limit. There Is no need to stimulate tn
spirit Of nationality among the Japan
ese. There Is a national solidarit
among thsm that may we'll stand as
model for all the rest Of the world.
But 1t is worth the while OF the rest @
what that solidarity. driven by that an
bition, may mean to Europe and Amer
lea. as well as to China.
There are plenty OF indications here
indeed, there is no little evidence that
accepted in many quarters as proof
that what Japan seeks Is not merely tn
leadership in commerce and industry
Asia. but political and military domino
ton as well. And she wants this dom
nation In order to satisfy her vaultin
ambition and to crafty her boundles
racial pride.
Builds Fighting Machine.
In a word she aims at the day whe
the yellow race shall come into arme
conflict with the white race for the ST
, premacy Of the world. And her militar
genius believes tnat II she can secur
| Tue tlltCNlNe COhtlol Va tiO
bered hordes of Chinese she will
able to construct lighting machtn
, so enormous and so powerful that
will be able to drive the remainder {
the world before II as 1t Wills
She dreams OF an initial army OF 10
OOO. 900 trained men. $50 army corps {
70 900 men each in the hrst nghting lin
supplemented by vast reserve al
proximati ting 10, 900, 900 more.
she dreams Of capitaiizing the vi
= touched and untold resource of tn
vast country: OF installing here ht
D own system Of taxation that has pre-
, duced amazing results from Ian
and a people stricken with poverty
she can do II she can raise money
the billion, and she can build navit
= and equip armies that Will conform
tho grandest ideas suggested by h,
s military ambition.
Japan today Is not an independant n
ton. She lacks two great essentials
national independence, money, and iro
Without them she can never achieve d
lindependence that alone can reconcI
n her people to Their situation.
n Money Japan might acquire. But to
so she would have TO abandon
n mounting military ambition: Her
nances are In desperate condition. s.
has reached the practical limit of ia
alton, and has borrowed abroad to {
@ point where II would be difficult to &
:. cure further credit even II the war
u Europe had not arbitrarily closed
q such avenues by creating demands
home that will absorb every possihilit