Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-12

| ldlu uoWu July, lSlO, ana winch nave
been evolved out of the experiences
of the present war
In October. the navy arsenal at
kure turned over To its govern
ment the "Euso," Of 10000 ton
mage. a battleship of the super
drcadnaught type and the largest
| in the Japanese navy. BY June
| three of its sister ships will have
been launched.
The total cost Of the naval pro-
gram for the present fiscal year, as
outlined by Vice Admiral Kato, min
lister Of marine, is Ss0,000,000
! In accordance with its policy OF
| vast increases in the army and navy
! the Japanese government has been
rushing up on naval bases and for
tifications in and along the Pacific
and China seas
The Marshall and Caroline islands,
| 500 miles northeast of the Philippines
and half way between Manila and
Guam, which were captured from
the Germans on october IL, 1914,
have become busy little centers for
| the japanese navy.
Made Into Naval Bases.
Jaluit, principal island of the Mar
shall group ana a fully formed atoli,
/ with a wonderful navigable lagoon in
| its center--in the past often the an
ehorage Of the German far eastern
! fleet--has been converted into naval
base and coaling station, with an army
] wireless to keep it in touch with the
new naval bases at Chinkaiwan, ko-
rea, and zap in the Caroline Islands.
! The Tsing-tau mountainous forts
which were destroyed in the siege OF
November. 1914, likewise have been
entirely reconstructed and modern "a
Il and 2S-centimeter guns have been
mounted from their peaks.
! Btu with all this expansion of
military strength Japan has not
! forgotten Its commerce. Ten
months ago a Japanese passenger
vessel had never been seen in the
| waters of New York. Bucnos Aires
[ or Cape Town. Today Nippon's
! flag is flying from vessels In al
most every open trading port IN
the world.
! Japan is in command of shipping on
/ the Pacific and Indian oceans and its
government trade agents as well as
members of the imperial diet now are
! in South America and Africa securing
| the country for new markets.
! shipping NafuS DciuHcu.
| Shipping yards at osaka and Kure
are so booked wit borders for vessels
! that they recently announced they had
enough business on hand to keep
/ them at work until August 1871 the
government has taken the matter in
hand by substituting new shipbuild-
ing concern in Yokohama
! From January until February
! 10, this year. the excess OF exports
from Japan over imports amount
/ ed to St3.O15,633. according to
! fig to figures compiled by the To-
kio government. This. in II way,
! host tells The story Of what the
! European war is doing for Japan
( from Il financial standpoint.
! 1t is Japans rapid military eXpan-
sion. however. that is filling orient
and occdent with talk and rumor.
/ Viewed With Suspicion.
| Westerners following the oriental
situation closely are filled with sus-
picion, suspicion seemingly well
! founded. on the actions of Japan dur
ing the last ten years
Is Japan quietly at work await
! ing the day when the world will
! turn it, eyes from Europe 10 lind
! IL onc of the strongest powers and
/ ready to dispute with any claim
ant for the hegcmony of Asia and
! the domination of the Pacific?
Is Japan calmly establishing
! such "a prcpondcrancc 0f political
/ influence and strength In the IA
cific that Ii may have the flnai
| authority on all actions that take
! Mace in that section of the world
, mt the close OF the European war;
/ Is japan awaiting the day when
I Il can secure for its citizens eqnai
| rights in foreign lands with other
citizens--IlOt by "gt1ltlcmens
agreements" but by display OF
! guns? Is the Monroe doctrine in
/ few years to undergo test Tar
! more serious than the Venezuelan
incident?
"You ask me If serious trouble be-
tween Japan and America is APP
preaching" said an eminent student
of far eastern affairs. who has lived
in China for the last ten years. Let
me tell YOU this When Lord Roberts
item wears ago sent out his call from
Cane Town that he could see signs
of Germans armlng for a-war against
Great Britain. did London take him
seriously? No not at all. They dldn
call Lord Roberts a lingo, for the BrV-
ish are far more conservative in their
language than we are, but neverthe-
tless the majority of Britishers felt In
their hearts that age was having us
effect on the mind Of IFS famous mill
itarv leader and they patted each other
on the back with the remark, 'mpos-
lsible. Today Great Britain is paying
in good blood and money for its OPP
timism.
A japan Is Aiming.
"And now you ask me II Japan Is
arriving for the United states?
You must remember that
fraal,ness Is bound to run
aground on that optimism OF the
Anglo Saxon. for the United
states world far rather believe
that Japan is just that fairyiike
nation of the romantic and PIC
tnresaue Madame Butterfly. the
home of tic purplc ,sistaria be-
Find which peeps silken kinioh-
goedf pcuplc with smiling races,
than believe II Is an aggressive
/ nation that has an Iron IN me
fire" ,a a.,
! In Washington, throughout the up
Tomato circle, the opinion prevails
4 that the next great war Of the unlt
ed states will be with Japan, ana II
is am opinion Of striking unanlmity'
| e..yyhat will he the greatest erect