New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-23
MR.. REA AND HIS MISSION
That Serving Chinas Interests by disappearing Japan and
InRamng American Sentiment Against Her

policy cut of whatever he may find in the
papers which so much as mention the ques-
ton OF discrimination by the State OF Can
forria as TO landowning against japanese re-
siding in that commonwealth. That dlscrlm-
nation hurts Japanese pride. Il is in contra
venton of a treaty with the United States.
Must they not dare 10 complain OF 1t on
Peril Of having Mr.. Rea come down on them
Must they not venture, however meehly, TO
ask for a way out Of 1t?
Long has Chinese exclusion been the policy
o. the United States. Where are the Chinese
laUndries now Weak and without spirit
China makes no difficulty about IT, and as Mr.
Rca has lived so long in China. taking the
Chinese view of things he may really be un-
able to Hut himself in the place Of any other
Asatic people. I shall not argue the Japan
csc contention here Sufficient 10 recognize
its existence. and 10 hope that American
Craftsmanship will be able to meet Japan on
some middle ground. as Baron Shi5usawa
said few days ago to the American guests
a. dinner here And this unsettled question
for statesmen 70 solve is the whole lock
stock and barrel" OF the verbal gun with
which Mr. Rca is bombarding Japan, the
missiles being wads Of twisted pellets from
the publications Of JaDsn.
IT, therefore, is pertinent 20 ask which one
Of theme even from the yellow "Yorodzu'-
is Of the stuff that real threats are made Of ?
No flake" like the United States paymaster
imposition ia too transparent for Mr.. Reals
purpose. No lifting article like that of Count
Okrma on civilization is too plainly laudable
for any race or any people but Mr.. Rea must
quote !. a. length and wag his head over it
as an implied threat that Japan will do
some horrible thing 20 the United States.
One may conceive an Oriental Chinese
as well as a japanese sage-thinking and
saying that the East has something TO give
to the West. OF course Mr.. Rea will think
4 Chinese might but a Japanese must not
think ~ such a thing. much less say it. Yet
let US requote paragraph:
"a nation recreant TO ITS divine mission Is
lost. Our military and naval power will
amount to nothing + We fail in our duty TO
humanity. It will profit us little 70 acquire
all the learning Of the West if VIC have moth
ing 70 offer in return; it is more blessed TO
give than TO receive"
Then comes whole letter truculcntly ano
without figures attacking the financial cred,
Of Japan. Not only does llr. Rea believe that
the Japanese arc overtGXed but that japan
is living beyond her means and unless she
ocfs OF the various suggestions vouchsafed
By Mr.. Rea from the reservoir of his eXpe-
Iicnce as a publisher "she VIII sooner or
later be brought face 70 face with national
bankruptcy." What utter absurdity. Does
Mr.. Rca imagine that il will induce American
fnancicrs 20 subscribe for a Chinese loan
if he thus assais the credit of Japan? Japan
IS the only Eastern power whose national
bookkeeping is open 10 the world and is
cor slant source OF critical debate in the
Popular branch of her Parliament. To say
that Japan is so close TO the limit Of her
resources as to be on The edge OF bankruptcy
is simply n bold and bald untruth.
One, however must look. as usual. for Mr.
Rea's motive in saying il. and we find il in
the last paragraph of his letter. He pictures
once again the doom Of a nation living be
You'd her means: it must bring ruin unless
she recoups by brute force from some weaker.
richer and unprcpared nation" 80. there
you are. Old Truepenny." says Hamlet 20 his
fathers ghost The weaker brother is China.
busv lust now in putting princedoms and
feathers on her officials i'm Picking. One
should know that modern war is rot TO be
waged 20 win money but to shovel IL out by|
millions not exactly the thing for nation
on the verge OF bankruptcy to do. particularly
upon n nation like China, at its Wits ends
for revenue.
China. it seems, is the amiable hippopota
mus from which japan is 10 cut steaks at
will in the Abyssinian manner TO appease
her financial appetite. Japan's desires with
regard to China are Of an opposite kind
She desires peace in China and with China
and open trade routes, "open door" and "eoual
opportunity" M. Rea must bring some real
tangible proof to his argument before he can
claim to be moro. in this case, than vain
spllcr Of ink. though never so charged with
mission" and remembering that China iq
quite as foreign as Japan
JOSEPH |. c. CLARKE.
New York, Dec II, 1915.