The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-02-28
K X X X X X X XXX X xxx
(From the Spokane Spokesman
Review

In connection with the question
of national preparedness, the timely
|admonition is made by the New Re-
public that "the time has come for
the country to make up it's mind what
policy it means to defend.'
If we propose to continue the Mon
roe doctrine, greater preparedness
will be needed, it thinks, than if we
ditch it. If also we are to stand up
for John Hays doctrine of the "open
door" in China, still greater prepar-
edness will be needed. If we make
up our minds to throw both doc
trines to the discard, very moderate
preparedness, it thinks, will be
enough for our safety, for these are
potential sources of friction with
Germany on the one hand and with
Japan on the opposite side.
"In other Words" says the journal,
what we are preparing to defend IS
not our territory, but a national pol
icy in Latin America. Let the Unit
ed States abandon all pretensions in
this hemisphere outside of it's boun-
DIARIES; it will be as safe from Ger
many as Greenland is. .
Policy Toward Japan.
1.-THE same searching of mind is
needed in our relations to Japan. We
are in conflict with Japan over two
main issues exclusion in California
and the open door in the far east.
Neither can be allowed to rest unde-
fined. Are we or are we not aim
ing to challenge Japanese dominion
in the orient? If we are not the
Japanese problem loses most of it's
gravity. Japan will not fight us
merely to secure admission for her
coolie labor. But if we are concern
ed about the fate of China, if the new
navy is designed to give weight to
American diplomacy in the east, then
the sooner our people realize it the
BETTER
To this point the New Republics
thesis is mainly sound Its argument
is defective when it passes to the con-
tention that invasion of this country
by the armed forces Of any enemy
would be followed by light and easily
borne penalties. docs any one sup
pose," it questions, that Germany
would care to conquer and administer
the continental territory of the Unit
ed States? It would be the most
fruitless adventure a. nation ever I'M
dertook, and the -absurdity of it is
evident when we realize that even if
the Germans in this war could take
London they would evacuate it again
If the Germans captured London or
New York it would not be for the
sake of holding it, but in order to
change certain British or American
policies to which they object" ..
Could Impose Heavy Penalties.
But this takes no note of the price
that would be demanded for evacua-
tion-the indemnity that conquer
ing and occupying army would exact
from country so rich in wealth and
potential resources. Nothing is
more certain than that Germany or
Japan, once it had the bayonet at our
national throat, would demand an in
demnity that would stagger this
country in it's payment.
Conquering Japan could go further
than Germany. It could cap stu
pendous war indemnity with de-
mand, for example, for the cession
of Alaska. Alaska is substantially
wild and unpopulated. 1t is rich in
gold, copper and coal, products es-
sential to Japan's realization of world
empire and national prosperity. Its
fisheries could feed the Japanese ma,
ton for all time. With Alaska coded
Japan could easily evict the few
thousand Americans now in the ter