Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-26
China. Japan and The United States

S'i lu' w tdlhfl buitdu udblt
China. Japan and The United States
TESTIMONY to the good faith of apan in
i its ambition 10 direct Chinese policy and
control Chinese destiny was borne by Pres-
dent Frank j. Goodnow. of Johns Hopkins.
III his address to the Hopkins alumni here.
This testimony is the more remarkable. per-
haps. in that DR.. Goodnow was the constitu-
tional adviser OF President Yuan Shi Kai, has
been that rulers constant defender and may
be regarded as his warm friend
Yet Yuan has been restless under Japanese
entertainments and Japan. so il is reported
from Picking. objects not to a Chinese empire
but merely 10 Yuan becoming the Emperor
There is much 10 be suid--aud i, may as
we'll he admittcd-n support OF Japan's
claims 10 pre-emncnce in the orient. In
essence. the Japanese position is an Oriental
Monroe Doctrine True enough, the demands
made on China far transcend anything the
United States has ever required OF the South
American republicS-with the exception of
Colonel Roosevelts celebrated exploit in
taking" Panama--but the principle is the
same. and allowing for differences in condl-
tons we may not be in position to throw
stones. If we insist on keeping the world
out OF this hemisphere why should we blame
Japan for exercising, if il can. ii somewhat
similar function in the Far East?
America no longer may isolate itself from
"oI.u poiltlcS. u Is forced into playing a
part, and it should concern itself now with
making that part an honorable and a worthy
one. Fortunately. we want nothing that any
other nation owns. We have all the terri
tory we need. Indeed. VIC have more but
from the Philippines We plan to withdraw at
the earliest convenient moment. That with
dr1wal will so far toward allaying whatever
Japanese hostility exists, because our pres
cnce IN the archipelago is constant irrtant
10 Japanese scnsihilitios
There will remain the irritation produced
by the presence of japanese in considerable
numbers on the Pacific Coast That question
should be solved, and solved Alright. and
solved now, before 1t becomes incapable of
solution by any method other than war We
cannot surrender our prerogative OF saying
who shall he admitted to our shores
Whether the japanese are inferior or superior
to the elements Of CALIFORNIA; population
with which they are thrown into competition
! ncsl1e the question. The fac, seems To he
that they are industrially superior and that
recognition Of this is the basis of hatred
The prejudice against the Japanese in cali
lorna certainly has small resemblance 10 the
telling OF the Southern white man for the
Southern negro, for in California white and
black children attend the same schools from
which III" yellow races are excluded
OF course. the problem is difficult one
out II IS not 10 be diSregardei on that ac-
count; rather should il receive the more
diligent and earnest attention If IT be nos
SDle "" must come 10 some final and salts
factory agreement with Japan We cannot
WIN success and assure peace by any policy
of evasion or paltcring. Certainly we do moi
deslre another negro question Delay means
increasing complexities and increasing dan
ger The government should CRASH this
ne''le firmly and get it out Of the nations
path.