The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-09-02
WHY JAPAN EAGERLY HELPS
RUSSIA AGAINST GERMANY

jects in view: FIRST, the exaetion Of a
suitable reward in the recognition Of
Japan's paramount influence in Asia
second, the undermining Of Germanys
ability later on 70 strike Japan as the
chief embodiment Of the Yellow Peril
for the white race.
Japan is known to cherish an ambi-
ton 10 become in Asia what the Unit
ed States is 10 the American contin.
emit, and to be in a position TO enforce
Monroe doctrine Of its own. This
ambition was not only reflected in the
recent demands of the Toxic govern
ment on China, but il was also ex-
pressed in the utterances Of the Jap
anese press.
China was in no condition to pro-
tect itself against the inordinate de.
mands of the Japs, and nothing but
the pronounced opposition of Great
Britain and the United States pre-
vented the japanese government from
using the military forces modified for
the purpose for exacting an uncondi-
tional surrender Of the government at
Pekin.
The reasons for Japanese coveting
Chinas territory are material and
economic as well as racial and politi-
cal. Japan is VIGOROUSLY lacking in
iron deposits, which are essential to
great industrial development along in
dependent lines as well as for naval
and military armament on huge
scale, such as the Japanese believe to
be necessary to secure recognition by
the world of their dominating position
in Asia.
The japanese are also short Of mon
ey as a result of their repeated wars
and the immense expense Of mainten-
ance of great naval and military es-
adjustments. If the japanese could
secure a firm foothold in China, they
would not only gain possession Of
Chinas immense coal and iron de-
posts, but they could also impose the
eyacting taxes they have collected
from their own people and thus raise
billions of money for the carrying out
6f their ambitious designs, including
he expulsion of foreign concession
aries and the utilizing Of the riches
Of that whole region for the upbuild-
lug of the Yellow race.
Fortunately the iron and coal de-
POSTS in China coveted by the Jap
arese are located in the territorial
concession made by China to Great
Britain in the Yang-tse valley, and the
British government realized that Jap
anese encroachment would involve
soner or later the loss to Great Brit
ain of these concessions. Japan was
bound by every diplomatic tie diplo-
matte ingenuity could devise in the
Anglo-Japanese treaty Of alliance to
preserve British interests in China,
but Japan has become sufficiently
civilized to treat international agree
ments of this kind as so many scraps
of paper"
The demand Of Japan that China
should exclude foreigners from terri
torial concessions and should agree
not to enter into treaties with foreign
powers without the consent of the gov
eminent at Toxic was direct slap at
Great Britains interests in China, and
it is safe to say Japan would never
have ventured to make such demand
but for the engagement of England
in the European war to the exclusion
of its interests in military matters
farther away.
When we consider the pledge Of the
United States to aid China and the
constant menace of the japanese to
our Philippine possessions, we can
readily understand why the Washing
ton authorities also promptly threw
American influence in the balance
against China's granting Of Japan's
demands.
The news columns Of the Free Press
a day or so ago contained story Of
for an alliance with Russia. The
secret Of that movement for treaty
of offence and defence with a nation
Japan was so recently fighting is the
growing conviction in Toxic that the
United States and Great Britain will
be found standing together, as the
British commander stood by Admiral
Dewey in Manila bay, and that the
Japs must look in some new direction
for help in the process Of absorbing
China.
The Japanese newspapers say the
Of Russia and Of Japan in re-
gard to China are closer than those Of
any other nation or nations. Russia
wants that section Of China nearer her
dominions while Japan covets the
Chinese provinces further south and
east. The two powers might clash at