The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-09

the East II we'll nigh impre8naOIe
The only Power who can attack her In
her own waters with any hope OF sue
cess Ia Great Britain. The only pos
sible menace to her supreme control
Of eastern Asia and tho Pacific 10 the
military regeneration Of China OF
America. and, to quote the words OF
the military correspondent Of the
Times. such a possibility Is always
met by a smile from the japanese
officials"
The reason for the smile IL clear to
every student OF Far Eastern Ques-
lions and Ia only ignored by those
IL that Japan IL secure In her
strength. She has the guns ana she
has the men. and she never intends
that China shall have the chance to
correct her mistake.
China believes IN peace. Her people
have despised the soldier. He was in
the old days likened unto . rusty nail
or q dog. China 10 tho great living
example of what the misguided peace
advocates would have America come
70 II their preachings prevail. And
a. Japan 10 now hobbling China to
prevent her from ever becoming a
military menace in the future. so
would she and other nations do unto
America II We allow our defences to
become further weakened.
Every japanese man in the street
knows that his country could take the
Philippines and Hawaii and wiring an
enormous indemnity from the Pacific
coast cities before we could move our
feet through the Panama Canal.
While the main Japanese battle fleet
10 concentrated near the Pacific en-
trance OF the canal. the cruiser squad
rons would raid the coast cities and
extract the huge indemnities and die
tate humiliating terms OF peace.
America would be temporarily help
less.
with the millions in indemnities
they could retire 10 their own waters
and defy us TO come over and try con-
illusions. The only one thing which
holds Japan in check Is her poverty
and the knowledge that in tho end
Americas enormous wealth would win
The Japanese do not fear Americas
military power. Like China. We are
beneath their notice. They are con-
fident they could easily take the west
ern coas. away from us The only
flaw in their philosophy Is the fact
OF our great wealth. but there are
those who believe this can be offset
by holding up the Pacific coast cities
to ransom before our fleet could In
tervene.
Japan IL essentially a military "a
ton She has always been 20. II
was an easy task tn reform the oil
Samurai warriors into a modern Euro
pean army and navy. The fighting
spirit predomnates. Every man II
soldier. Military service IL compul-
sorry. Every Japanese who travels
abroad is an Intelligent observer"
and transmits his knowledge Of the
department at Toxic whose business
II Ia TO receive Il.
The Government Of Japan Is con-
trolled by two OF the old Samurai clans
OF hereditary military aristocrats. one
Of which dominates the army and the
other the navy. The only real politics
IN Japan is the struggle between these
two clans to see who can obtain from
the public treasury the largest appro-
priations for their respective branches
OF the service. All other internal Is
sues fade into insisnificance before
the great objective Of military ex-
pansion.
Cabinets come and Cabinets 20 on
the strength Of their adherence To one
or the other Of these clans but the
military expenditures increase and the
preparations for defence or offence go
steadily onward. The limit, however.
seems to have been reached. The
country il staggering under a burden
OF debt and taxation such az we Amer
leans cannot appreciate. Probably 40
per cent Of the incomes are diverted
into the Unsuitable NAV OF the trea-
sury. yet the people cheerfuliy paw
the price and bow their backs for
fresh burdens
ness lies in her restricted territory, the
absence Of any great developed In
dustries and lack OF natural resources
which can bear the burden Of increased
taxation. There Is no legitimate relief
in sight The ambitious dreams Of the
party must be aba ndoned un-
less new source OF revenue can ba
found Japan will lose her place as a
world Power unless she can hnd the
means TO finance the military pro-
gramme to maintain her position.
Such thought Ia far from tho
minds OF the Japanese people. Hav-