Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-28

showing out OF all proportion TO her
real wealth and commercial import-
anGe. This Japanese characteristic
could be passed OYER with a smile, II
deadly serious pride. and Japan is
ready to fight II.
Cannot Compete With West,
Japan gets great credit and admira-
ton from the t~houGhtless for her In
uusirial advance. that carried her
from the middle ages to the twentieth
century almost at a bound. This ad-
vance is taken as evidence that Japan
can become an :ngland OF the Orient.
a great factory for Eastern Asia.
Japan herself chcrishes and encourages
the illusion in characteristic fashion.
IL Is no more than AN illusion. Japan
might become the England OF the
orient II there were no England and
no America of the Occ.dent In
straight. free competition with the
West. Japan stands hardly II chance.
for all her geographical ADVANTAGE. and
she knows il. II is a fact that plays
havoc with all her most vital ins,itu-
tons. from her pride to her pantry.
So she comes TO the relief Of her ia
dustries with subsidies and the sword.
she a~!ternatcs freight rebates with the
domination OF Chinese provinces.
Her pride covers more than the
military and commercial glory OF
the empire. II extends 10 the race
itself. japanese seriously believe that
they arc the most remarkable OF the
peoples OF Garth. Perhaps IT Is partly
our fault. we have been telling them
mission. which IS to unite east and
west. 10 dominate The Orient and
act as a mediator between Orient and
Ccc!dent Their great men tell them.
and they believe. that the japanese is
the moral and intellectual superior of
q - IN n ~ y 4 ~ n - iatrr IT, ,Et- -.
son race prejudice against them has
never stirred them deeply. Race preju-
dice only cuts when the injured race
has a consciousness OF !nferiority.
Bat the japanese pride is aHronted
by any discrimination against Japan
as a nation. Her pride and her creed
demaad that the proudest OF nations
recognize her az an equal. Anything
less Is an insult TO the whole fabric
OF Japanese society from top 10 hot
tom. Japan will go 10 any length
rather than 10 labor indefinitely unde.
the least stigma OF infer!ority.
Opposition Could Not Form.
Another effect OF the Japanese re-
lig!on OF loyalty worth considering is
its infect in questions OF war. and the
declaration OF war. II prevents the
forming OF an opposition party under
such circumstances because such OPP
position Is deprived OF the sanction OF
principle which II often has in a vest
crn country. There are what purport
10 be powerful peace societies In ia pan,
yet neither before the Chinese. nor the
Russian, nor the present German war
did they make an opposition worth
mentioning. Neither do the peace adj
vocatcs OF Japan. either Japanese or
American, attack the japanese army
ana navy expansion schemes They
content themselves with attacking the
military program OF the United States
OF America.
An understanding o; the two closely
related elements of national pride on
the one hand and religious loyalty TO
inc cmpero! on the other is vitality
important 10 an understanding OF
Jalan' and the Japanese. These ele-
ments explain largely the aggressive
miHtarism OF Japan in the past and
h1r hunting and ruthless ambi-
tItior to-day. They explain the
ro:iec, solidarity OF the nation
IN NC face of "A foreign opponent.
!hey hint at the lengths to which
japan will go in her effort TO put her
ana tacustriaiiy in spite Of natural
h.-ndicaps. They give a sieniscant
Indication Of Japan's. real attitude to-
ward such matters as exclusion and
discrimination.
These national characteristics mean
more than that They mean also a ma
t!on militant. the sitting OF pacihst
p.o.es.' 'ne moral justification Of war
as Il means OF serving the state-thev
mean the placing of the nation as an
instrument in the hands of a few men
Ihat instrument has been turned
against CHINA, against Russia. against
germany. II hehooves the United States
. america 10 consider whittier 1t may
he 'urreC next ~