The Washington times., 1915-04-29

Belasco-Joseph santiey in "All Over Town. "
s:l5 .. m.
mans have employed with marked sue
cess in developing their trade In Man
churia, that part Of China which Is al
ready under the strong spell OF Jap
anese influence.
Numerous Japanese who have proved
their ability by their success, have
frankly admitted to me In the last few
days that the Japanese as whole are
not able now to compete successfully
with the Germans for much OF the trade
with China.
They ascribe their lack OF success to
lack of organization. lack of capital and
lack OF skilled labor But they declare
that all three of these deficiencies Will
be made up in the near future. and they
expect them to be fully able to hold
their own in all fields with all competi-
tors.
Expect Trade Boom.
And they expect also to be helped very
greatly In developing their trade. pend
ing the overcoming OF these def1ci-
encies, by the disaster that has over
taken German enterprise throughout the
far East as a result of the present Eu-
ropean war
1t is made entirely plain. not only by
what Count Okuma said. but as vel by
what many other leading Japanese have
said, that the attention and interest OF
this country are focused now and VIII
be focused for a long time to come upon
this problem of the expansion Of Japan.
ere influence and trade in China, unless
there should arise a situation In the
United States that would divert them.
And IT is made equally plain that there
10 nothing inherent in the American cit.
uation that will necessarily create such
a diversion.
IN To Amerirans
In other words. the outcome will be
what the Americans themselves make It
They can create a diversion by renew
ing the anti-Japanese agitation and
playing upon Japanese sentimentalisr
and sensitiveness. Or they can create q
diversion by seeking TO interfere IN tht
development of a problem which All the
leading Japanese feel deeply TO De pc
culiarly their own.
Among Americans resident In Japar
and engaged in business here nave
found no sentiment at all In favor o.
development of the Chinese problem
Nothing has come here from the states
that can be accepted as reliable inni
cation OF what the sentiment there ls:
1t will be readily apparent to all In tne
United States who are interested IN !nt
matter that II Japan Is to hnd the neeoet
relief from her problem OF pressing pop
ulation through expansion OF her IN
terests on the Asiatic mainland IL VII
require the concentration of all her timc
and energy and there will be no sur
plus to devote to enterprise along the
American side of the Pacihc.
Not Delicate Morsel.
The possibility of japanese menace &c
American interests and development dis
appears for a long period OF years a.
soon as Japan is fairly embarked upor
the new undertaking In China. For II
is not a delicate morsel that japan
sets out to digest. 1t Is full meal
extremely difficult to assimilate.
1t Is going to require great deal
more than mere military preponderancf
to enable the Japanese to come through
successfully. The military strength they
have. there Is no question about that
But already II has been shown In sucr
way as to anger the Chinese and sun
up resentment. which is showing itsell
in threatened boycotts OF Japanese ner'
chants and goods.
This show of force by the Okuma gov
ernment Is severely criticised among in
nuential Japanese who are not In the
government. including number who
are not allied with the party of opposi'
ton. They declare that it was un'
necessary and worse than useless. al
1t threatens to be positively detrimental
Depend On Negotiations.
Already 1t Is evident mat this move
has delayed the accomplishment of the
Japanese purpose. not merely In the
negotiations that are now pending, but
in the subsequent development that Is to
depend upon the result Of the neg"tia'
tions.
The government recognizes this clear
| ly, and the effort now is to bring the
| diplomatic stage to an end as promptly
as possible, in order that effective res
4. 4
toratives may be applied TO the wound
| ed Chinese sensibilities.
So much for expansion in China as a
means of solution for the problem ot
pressing population, which Is the most
| urgent that the Japanese government
has to deal with.
The annexation of Korea furnished
some relief. but it was neither as great
as had been hoped for by the japanese
nor as prompt. 1t has required time
labor. and expense to get as far as has
been done in Korea. There is no doubf
| that the results in Korea have been dis
appointing to the enthusiastic optimlsts
| who fancied a few years ago that the
| ACQUISITION of that decrepit country
would straightway afford the much
| needed outlet.
| There is a second means of relief which
will furnish a more effective solution oi
the problem than even successful ex
| mansion in China can afford, alNay:
provided It can be accomplished in rea
sonable degree and within a compare
lively few years.
| Problem Similar.
This is the development OF domestic
Industries that has served to solve tn,
closely similar problem that confronted
| Germany not so many years ago.
Is the German experience, In fact. tha
| furnishes the example which many o
the leaders of Japanese though reGarr
| so hopefully as marking the path 70
/ this country to follow.
1t IL not so Ions ago that many q
the crowded Germans We're SeekIni