New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-29

we can MlLHNihN
walls of a new exclusiveness, "China-
fving" ourselves lest we offend Japan
or any other lustv nation of men. we
can see how long exclusion and see!u-
sion would last in face Of new prob
lens. new dangers gathering and grow,
inc without our walls problems ana
dangers which we shall have created
ourselves for our posterity because we
lacked both backbone and foresight
enough to meet these problems and
dangers. to face them squarely IKE
men, No solution of these issues winch
lapan is carefully and perslstently pre-
paring can be found on Japan own
terms without mortgaging our national
honor. our peace or the safety OF those
who will inherit what we leave to them
The very existence o. the American
commonwealth is involved in the stard
we take. We cannot evade our respon-
sibility.
Peace is possible peace is always
possible among men. If we face these
issues boldly. as becomes men, the Jap
anese. manly in their basic behets, men
from the head down. will listen TO us
gracefully and respectfully. An hon
orable understanding can be reached,
promises of peace can be made perma-
ncnt.
Peace with Ships and Guns.
To be true to our heritage, TO face
these issues like men, we must have
the ships. the guns. the shells and the
trained forces TO back up our terms OF
honest understanding and honorable
peace.
"Our present weakness invites m
suit" These arc not my words. They
were uttered recently by the President
of China. Sec what happened TO China,
because, owing 10 her weakness, she
was compelled TO accept peace on
Japan's terms! If we DO not take time
by the forelock it will be our turn next.
Japan is forging ahead in military
preparations las | have proved with
out the least regard TO our wishes or
sentiments. she is bankrupting her
self for battlcships, battalions, bayo-
nets and bullets TO back up her con-
ccpt Of Japan's Mission i'm the World"
II, as some pacifists say, "Thc sense
Of possession is the desire to use" upon
whom will Japan use these huge en-
gincs OF warfare, far out of proper
o.
Upon China. her weak neighbor? II
upon China overheard goes sthe Hay
Doctrine. Upon the Latin republics
south of the United States? I'm that
event, overheard goes the Monroe Doc
trine-unless we can peacefully pro
test, unless our protest has backbone
and force 10 make it stick.
The japan Year Book for 1914
(which IS semi-offciaD makes the fol-
lowing astounding statement on page
4S5, in the chapter devoted to tho
army and the navy" and under the cap
ton, object Of Expansion and ImaRi-
nary Enemy:
"The object Of expansion OF national
armament is primarily to guard our in
terest in Manchuria and China, and
next TO he prepared against a possible
emergency with the United States Of
America. In Manchuria Japan may
come in conflict with Russia, while the
internal difficulty in China and the
grave danger that has been constantly
menacing her stability calls upon Japan
TO be well prepared against an emer-
Gcncy that may break out any time"
Preparedness the Vital Fact.
Everywhere yoL turn in this matter
you are confronted by the necessity
for increased. reasonable preparedness.
IL is the vital fact in this national
hour of crisis. We cannot compel peace
or respect for our rights without
placing behind our President and the
State Department a navy and army
ready 10 act should action be unavoid-
able. II we arm adequately, neither
Japan nor any other nation will incau-
tiously .Gnore our reasonable and
proper protests or invite a war as dis
tasteful 70 us as IT would then be GER
tain 20 result in defeat and disadvan-
tage 20 our enemy.
ITO know ones enemy and 10 know
ones self is a strategical maxim that
should always be acted upon" In try
ing 20 interpret Japcn's actual atti-
tude toward America ! have simply
taken leaf out of the book of the
Premier Of Japa'. ! make no accusa-
tions against the japanese. They are
no. 20 be condemned for preparing a.
cost which would blanch the check
OF the average American 20 enforce
their demands. 10 make us accept
whether We will it OF not. the japanese
Interpretation OF how East and West
are 70 be fused and made one.
I They are acting as a nation OF men,
and men Of all nations must accept
their proofs Of full manhood, however
they may dislike the thought of a
Japanncd Asia. . Japanned America. a
Japanned Europe And it is not impos.
sible tkat IL may come 10 that. IL will
surely come unless the manhood Of the
West determines that our civilization
is worth preser' ing. and, therefore,
worth fighting for, II need be. to pre-
serve IL.
II reasonable American preparedness
menace 20 Jaosn, an invitation 70
Japan 90 declare war upon u.s. For
answer. compare the facts which have
stated as 90 Japan unslterable naval
and military programme with the mod