The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

continent tndt 'ttdt'r japan
to which her statesmen have
long looked?
BY her military triumph in the fall
OF the German stronghold OF Using
tao and through her diplomatic VIC
tory over China in Pekin. Japan has
accomplished a threefold purpose:
made sure her own foothold in Man
churia, confirmed her purpose to con-
troll the highway to Europe, and pre-
vented the breakup Of China through
European aggression. The island em-
pire has thus protected her " self
from perils that are ever imminent
because Of the chronic weakness in her
aged neighbor. Her achievement Will
not only provide a field of colonization
for her surplus population but will
profoundly influence the future desti-
niles OF the mother continent and the
face-as Japan has long aspired to do.
This is the view held in Toxic.
In presence Of the situation, which
we do we'll to interpret Alright, We
may well ask whether this national
movement westward. in harmony with
the worlds historical trend, * some
brilliant scheme Of extemporaneous
statecraft. Was 1t wrought out long
ago in the brain of one creative mind?
Or Is IL but the outbursting bloom OF
. century plant OF preparation?
The chosen emblem OF Japan's
etateliness and grace. as we'll as Of her
power to yield before a storm-with
residence at the first opportunities
the bamboo. Yet the PAGES between
the strengthening joints are not al
ways of exact proportional length. Nor
3s the growth Of this giant grass. or
the japanese nation itself. uniform.
Civilizations advance Is intermittent.
Some might rather liken the vital ac-
ton of Nippon TO that of the sensitive
plant. which closes at q touch. show
ing periodic life. In the bamboo for
est under natures powerful stimulus
Of opportunity in ~sub-troplcal sun
shine. the stalk. long qu!escent. is
known at times to shoot upward many
inches even In a day. SO has 1t been
with Japan in her alterations OF
growth.
From the historical nucleus in va
mato's tiny area in the centre of the
main island a thousand years ago the
future empire spread. through arms
and the toga, over the whole archi-
pelago. The expansion was greatest
in the twelfth century, when the o
races. Aryan. Semitic, Malay and Ia
tar, and the various tribes, We're for
the first time fused into n nation. The
Mikado's mandate was then carried
=. into an area nearly commensurate
with that of our fathers ideI e.: old
Japan. while missionary Buddhism
made the people n social and religious
unit.
Great on land. the islanders became
renowned on the sea. Hardy marine
e~dventurers from Nippon carried the
japanese name CWa-koku) to For
mosa, Yezo, Saghalien and to the on
tinental coasts. 1t was then that these
sea overs wrought those romantic ex-
pioits which form the cement bed on
which is laid the mosaic Of the ma
lions nursery legend and hero tales
n from which its fairy lore sparkles
In one age Of Toxic. in the last halt
Of the sixteenth century. besides the
great invasion of Corea and the Japa-
nese colonies in India. Siam and the
Asian Islands, ships Of the sun flag
ploughed the southern and northern
seas. the Indian Ocean M the Pacific
even to Mexico. whence her son.
Jeached Spain and Italy.
The exploits of these japanese afai
affected the politics and literature OF
the Occident. The Amboyna "massa'
ere" in which japanese were made tc
figure largely. helped to provoke the
naval wars between Holland and Eng
land, led to Cromwelrs drastic actor
st. the Far East. and ultimately to tn
treacherous conquest of New Neither
land by Charles H., which ende,
Dutch rule in North America an,
made ours an English speaking nation
In literature Dryden produced "Th'
Tragedy of Amboyna,' which aideS
powerfully in turning popular atten
ton to the Far East.
Since the American opening o
Japan to m n to word in
terests through the initial effort o
President Fillmore in 1853, Jipan's ad
min.stratlon has included islands an,
countries previously in her merel.
nominal possession, such as Yezo, Sag
halien. BONN and other outlyin,
srchipelagoes. Riu Kiu CLoo Choo
and Corea, long under dua! SOW
e%reignty, have been absorbed in tn
empire. while the Kuriles, Formos'
and the Pescadores were shifted 4
her In diplomacy.
Thus ancient Y~amato-name mos
cherished by the Mikado's propl
(~"Japan" being of foreign c%oinage)-
roughly the size of Delaware-has ex
banded to an empire with an area q
$4,000 square miles and a popu.atior
Of nearly seventy millions. Add I
this southern Manchuria and tn
islands formerly under German con
troll. and Dai Nippon approaches pro
portions that exceed those of mos
European countries. Will the futur
show phenomena as OF the Mimos
putica, or OF the bamboo? Is tn
latest japanese expansion hxed an
perennial?
BY China's acceptance on May
1915, of her island neighbours ultima
tum, Japan becomes the hal: wa
house OF the world. China, One IN
Middle Kingdom OF Asia. loses her fam
before Japan, the central empire c
the worlds East and West. She con
trolls the land highway TO EUROPE
while equal to any in the dominion Z
the seas. VIII she WELD her net
power for the veal or tho woe IF mar
kind?
For ar intelligent answer We shout
not build on f~orebodings, but on a":'
-as. - 49, .aaAal 80 Ilat4 ., a-l -.