Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-02

AuuSA0LlOu at oieS " SeN
Later Date Obvious en. . n
tional agreements, Japan presently es-
tablished a protectorate. 1t was OBJ
vious from the first that annexation
would follow sooner or later, but
American interests were not particu-
larly disturbed by the prospect. 1t was
expected that Japan would eliminate
any foreign enterprise In Korea which
tion-founded, that is, by the nationals
Of some European power with the idea
of giving that power a foothold on the
coast of Asia. AS American interests
had nothing whatever of the political
about them. as the United States OBJ
viously never dreamed of establishing
herself in Korea as nation, 1t was
taken for granted that Americans
would be unmolested. Their work.
while undertaken in a purely business
attitude. with no philanthropic mo-
tives. was none the less of immense
value to the development and enrich
ment Of the kingdom.
However, 1t soon became apparent
that there was a fallacy in this rea-
soning somewhere. Japan set syste-
matically to work to drive foreigners
from Korean commerce and industry
She wished. apparently, to secure Jap
anese dominance In the field. and here
as elsewhere she had to deal with the
sad fact that Japanese could not domf-
equal chance. 1t was necessary to turn
Korea into a Japanese preserve.
The most important foreign interests
in Korea were in the hands of a single
American Arm. Japan's course in the
case of this Arm was typical She Of
fered to buy the Americans out. The
Americans refused to sell. They had
spent years in establishing themselves,
and did not care TO retire just as they
had weathered the doubtful stage and
were beginning to take profits. The
Japanese then set out to obstruct and
oppose them at every turn. Their
mining titles were disputed. Their en-
terprises were subjected to unfair COM
petition. as in the case of telephone
company. for which they had secured
an exclusive franchise. The Japanese
calmly set up a competing company
The past records of the members Of the
American firm were searched in an at
tempt to uncover discreditable facts.
tablished that it amounted to an insti-
tuition and no one had questioned its
integrity before.
In spite Of this campaign, which was
long and expensive enough to have
broken a smaller
Business Could Not corporation. the
Americans kept
oe n"A az 1AoAA'' on fighting. They
fought from Seoul and Toxic to Wash
ngton and back again. Finally they
sold out AS a business proposition, the
game was obviously not worth the can
die. Facing japanese opposition backed
UP by japanese officials, the business
could not be run at a profit. However
dear might be the principles involved,
as business men the Americans had no
alternative but to bow to the inevita-
BILE and withdraw.
The incident illustrates the CONNER
cial policy of japan in the countries
she dominates. She realizes her ma
tional need for commercial expansion.
She realizes that free competition
would be fatal. She Is willing to pur-
chase foreign interests at a price, but
IL they refuse to withdraw gracefully,
they will be made to withdraw ungrace-
fully. Japan has the justification of a
certain necessity justification that
nowadays. That Europe and America
recognized her justification Is shown
by the way they have stood aside while
Japan, in contravention of interna-
tional agreements and policy proceeded
from fighting a war over Korea's au-
tonomy in 1894 to swallowing the hap
less kingdom herself a little over
decade later. She has also been per-
mitted to establish a virtual protecto-
rate over Manchuria and to turn that
rich region into a Japanese trade pre-
serve But her course must ind its
limits somewhere.
Korea herself has become a Japanese
province. She Is hardly 80 much