Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-30
HOW ABOUT JAPAN: H.-Between Friends
BIZ FkEDEkIc J. HAsK1N.

w 1AsHINGToN. D. C. June 28-MOre than year ar
\N| ago American residents in Japan appealed to
w the authorities, asking them to curb the hostile
attitude of the vernacular Strangely enough
the incident attracted attention in this country
London correspondents more space to the anays
of the than did Americans although england
is the ally Japan and might be expected TO aVolu
delicate subjects especially when they do not concern
her directly.
For some time now the vernacular press of Japan
has been engaged in agitation of grievances against
the United States The tendency was strongly In
evidence before outbreak of the in Europe; on
the commencement of Japans h2stlhtes WIN germany ,
it grew more vruent it was thought America
was going Germany, but that position hastily
proving untenable there and is reversal to re-
beating accusations discrimination and injustice in
regard to the treatment japanese in California
So wrote correspondent of the London Morn
ne Post from Tokyo February, 1915, whose view
point should of the unprejudced observer Be
tween Japan the United States, England has al
ways been neutral
The Posts report conditions is important be-
cause shortly after date, anti-American
stand of the Japanese press was somewhat modified
probably by of government command The pro-
test American residents in Japan marked the climax
of what may may not have been an organized cam
pagn to stir up hostility that the unsatisfactory
relations Japan and the United States still
occupy large place in the Japanese mind readily
be seen a perusal of the Japanese press today.
For instance the powerful oska Mainichi declared
as lately as January 9th, last, in the of
friendly discussion of the immigration question that
Japan the gentlemens agreement itself
a humliating agreement. If that agreement is to be
tramped laws to be passed to restrict Jap
immigration the Japanese nation will not stand
the humiliation" And the Osaka Asahi remarked
February I'd that IF the American legislators
going take hostile attitude toward Japan and the
Japanese, the latter will not be able to keep their
patience" Exactly would follow
not specified
o,,;Id rrLn,
storm invective is past. The steadily increasing
prominence anti-American propa ganda gradual
shift from friendlness question and
thence actual hostility, eliminating in a of
the that neutral and dsintereste1 observers
characterized 'virulent" and alarming"
gether form remarkable instance of molding 81
public opinion of whole nation. This
of the of the press is in which
have something more than academic interest
1t began as far back as seven or eight years ago.
enthusiastic approval United States be-
gan missed from editorial public utterances
it became increasingly evident that the Unitea
States would oppose certain points Japan's prog
gram The atmosphere of unfriendlness increased bat
for time there was nothing definite to crystallize #
The definite event with Knoxs proposal for
the naturalization of the Manchurian railways. To
say that such idea unpopular Japan putting
it mildly Even today, when the Japanese require
example Of American perfdy they often bark back to
the eninently and statesmanlike railway
proposal
ion easy to follow still slowly.
issues were for Manichurian railways
the immigration question the California land
laton kept in the limelight for season,
still later the conflict of policies in China always
the United held before the Japanese people
in the light of enemy, aggressOr, a malicious
interferer in the manifest destiny of Nippon
In 1918 and 1914 the attitude press grew
and more openly hostile, false charges against the
limited States denunciations of policy faster,
until the whole matter eliminated in the protest be-
fore mentioned, after which the mufler clapped
on Today, while the sentiment of the press is still
suspicious resentfu it is hardly openly hostile