Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-05

protest Is neither moro nor lcss than
inc weight OF the fighting mower back
81 H. Shc has seen one OF her cities
! shci!cd by tho British, in the days Of
! hcr weakness, to collect an indemnity
! Tor single murdered British citizen
She has seen Europe, in the DAYS of
hcr weakness, dictate tho terms OF her
peace treaty with China. a few ycars
iater, grown strong. she saw that sho
could take from China whatever abe
wanted, without shadow OF a right,
10y sole virtue OF that strength. There
was no necessity to night for It, The
mere threat OF her power wac enough
Faced now by problems far greater
than those sho has solved. she liz go
1 ing to enter the diplomatic game OF
adjusting them with every ounce OF
possible force back Of her diplomatic
uttcranccs. The greater her force. the
less the chance that she viii have to
use it,
The player across the board is the
United states OF America. What
weight is japan going to attach 10 his
diplomstic uttcrauces?
The case of China gives tho answer
IL hclpicssness. II unpreparcdnesS,
backed only hy tho right. were any
defense against aggression. China
would have been impregnable in the
japanese negotiations. China
was as helpless az it WAS po,sible for
nation to he. Her sole weapon was
the right and !, won her exactly
nothing at all
what Arc We to DO.
What IL the United States going to
10 about it" There is only one rea-
sonablc answer. one possible solution.
Put behind our diplomacy force that
VIII enable II 10 deal with the diplo-
macy Of Japan at least on equal terms
When we consider tho relative re-
sources Of tho Two nations, we are put
10 shame II any idea OF economy stands
IN our way Japan IL tho poorest OF
the great powers. the United states
IL the richest 1t has been estimated
not long ago that the bank deposits
OF New York Guy alone could wipe out
the entire capitalized wealth Of japan.
including bank deposits. Yet Japan.
carrying national debt greater than
our own, at n higher ratio Of interest.
with her people incomparably poorer
ard far morE heavily taxed is rapidly
"uistrippins us in her progress toward
power II motives OF economy have
anything To do with our stand, we ara
indeed opcn 10 the charge tina, our
patriotism docs not go dccp enough to
reach our pockets.
lf unwillinGncss to spend the ncces-
Sary money is not the true cause ~
our athy-and as matter OF fact
~ ~ not-if VIC have let ourselves b.
!ul!cd into false security, a basel.s,
belief that VIC do not need preparcd-
ness and preparedness on large
scale. then VIC lay ourselves open to
the charge of being willfully blind Ia
IN" trend Of events. OF stubbornly re-
iusinS to open our eyes and see what
Is pam 10 he seen. Tho issues We shall
have to meet arc clear. The methods
mat VIII be employed in adjusting
them have been demonstrated
THOSE issues can be adjusted peace
ably and satisfactorily. They will h.
so adjusted II Japan and America meet
over them as man to man, with tho
mutual consideration born OF n,utu,I
respect. They Will not be 90 adjusted
IL our statesmen have to meet m.
statesmen of Nippon with nothing to
lend weight TO the claims Of our rights
ana our interests but our unapnlJed
money and our empty hands IL tho
adjustment is made under such civ
cumstances II will be made at our ~
pcnse. II is for the American peopIe
10 say whether our power shall gain
our case consideration, or whether. Iikc
Korea and like China. we shall be :;
pawn in the hands Of a superior ,orcn