New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-12
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of he Tribune.
Sir: As Mr. George Bronson Ree has ar
parently concluded his series Of letters o.
The Tribune directed against Japan in its re
lations with America from behind bulwark
of tea chests marked with the Chinese ideo-
graphs Of Yuan Shih-kai. may l. with your
kind permission, say parting word"
II is inevitable that ne VINO sows distrust.
sharpens suspicion provokes enmty or hours
poison drops % hatred into the mind should,
in times o. stress. be given reader access to
the vehicles Of public information than he
who simply stands for faith and trust in
common honesty and common sense Your
poisonor is more piquant. Al what does Nj.
Rea strike? Az Americas faith in the bona
ides OF Japan. friendly. CIVILIZED. com
pscted. organized, progressive nation. A. a.
his start. so at his finish he cries out Be
ware, Beware of Japan" and then retires
Unfortunately the refuge Of the fals" prophet
il the indeterminedness Of his ma.oic fore
cast, leaving time as the only final aro.ter
Yet other false prophets OF Japan, So hos
tility have fallen on the time test We may
safely put Mr. George Bronson Rea il the
class with Captain Hobson and leave him
there.
have affirmed that Mr. Res's object was
in some obscure way 20 insinuste that China
was the desirable friend OF the United States,
not Japan Goblin is the fried no.
Short" II is worthy OF note, however, tha'
in his last letters he has set about his cult
walton OF the snti-Jspanese virus under cover
Of an appeal for American preparedness.
Surely his cause is desperate when lie seeks
20 hang its picbald tatters on the coat o.
mail which America in her sturdy selfrespect
is fashionng to-day.
II needed the flame and shock o. arms OF
a war-mad world 20 put America in her pres
ent frame Of mind. When the shifts and
schemes of wrangling statesmen N the rear
OF the battling armies were breaking oown
the governmental moralities OF the world,
tearing up treaties, ignoring international
laws, it at last behooved the great neutral
nation OF the West 10 remember tina. her
good intentions, her long practice Of justice
and proved good will might avail nothing
before conqucst-crazy power flushed with
bloody victories. Americas strength must
be as visible Of all men a her sense OF JUS
tlce II vas 10 menace from Asia, AFRICA or
Oceanica. but from the powers at the neart
and heavng centre of our most modern
civiiZa from Europe.
stand for in the great struggle, it wa the
menace Of war-mad Germany, Austria,
France. England, Russia, Italy. Turkey and
the little lighting powers in any combination,
ave. all combined the Old World against the
New-that woke up the United States. This
need OF defensive preparation struck no
single Waterman on the tower; i had nc
original precursor: II sprsng full-armed from
the minds OF the millions. II was n in sue
ccssion TO any lobbyist who schemei before
the war to sell dynamite to the government
or 10 build battleships in private yards OF
pretence that this distant nation or The other
had a measurable sea power or land power
10 do us harm.
Such calculations have been the commo y
place OF the chancelleries, our own sea and
land service included, for half century.
We did not care how many their ships, their
cannon or their armed men: We would be a
model Of trust in normal human nature and
continue 20 see the normal in peace and
law abiding We coined the word "unthins-
able" TO show paradoxically what we thought
Of the war pedlers' dismal outcrles. But
with the progress of events in Europe the
nation saw. As beneath a searchlght OF a
million candlepower, that the safety, the
honor, the inviolability Of this continent de-
pended on our being prepared to defend our
shores. our soil, our homes, 20 the last dol
lar and the last man.
And that is how America feels to-day and
will feel tomorrow and hereafter urlil SAINT,
is restored to the world or vide diSormp
ment renders harmless the human enimgis OF
prey among the nations until the Golden
Rule is more than a shibbole.h-is translst-
able into acts the world around. We are