Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-01

national desire to resent the insult
which they feel to their dignity in Am
erican discrimination against the Jap.
anese coolie labor. lies in the good
sense Of japanese statesmen who fore
see the cost and the inevitable result
of attack upon. a nation as rich and
powerful and with such warlike attri-
butes as America. That has been the
protection Of America from old world
aggression and may continue to be so
Indefinitely, but for all that it is a
very unreliable defense in this time Of
|recklessness on the part of great civil
lized people. The question for Ameri-
cans to consider today is whether or
not it pays to take the chances OF the
cost of clash with any modern power
or to provide against it by expanding
part Of this possible cost in furnishing
a defense that would hold nations in
their places.
Just now the Netherlands, a plucky
little nation. that could be put in Uncle
Sans side pocket, Is considering de-
fensive measures against Japan. The
Nieuwe Rotterdam Courant publishes
striking articles dealing with recent
Japanese utterances concerning tho
importance to Japan of Sunda Strait
which separates the Dutch East In
AL - Tow fpo
The strait is regarded by the Japanese
publicist, Yusaburo Takekoshi. as a
kew to the defense of the Far East, and
his comment on the Importance Of this
position has been the cause of some
anxiety in the Netherlands.
| The Courant urges the Dutch coloni
al authorities to proceed at once to
| fortify the Sunda Strait, and do away
with the uneasiness that a weak neigh
Dor lying at the mercy of strong pow
er must inspire in Japan"
| 1t is pointed out that as colony the
Netherlands East Indies would be weak
against a possible expansion or annex
alton policy on the part of Japan or
other states. Colonies are out Of date
in Eastern Asia. The Dutch ideal is
to form an Indian state, strong and
prosperous, of which the natives them
selves are proud, which they regard as
their own country and in defense of
which they will be found ready to
shed their blood. Meanwhile, Holland
has to see to it that it is not dis
turbed in this work by foreign inter-
vention. Dealing finally with the or
ganization of Dutch India's means of
defending itself as being the most urg-
ant proceeds:
THE Sunda Strait. the entrance to
! the Indian seas, as it is termed by
Japanese writer's, lies there, in this
time of violation of international law,
at the mercy of the first power which,
spurning morality, might consider it in
it's interest to seize this so highly i'm
portant passage. The impotence to
prevent this must. indeed, be regarded
in Japan as a continuous threat, and
the possibility ought to be reckoned
with that, in order to do away with
this, it might itself venture on this
decisive step and establish a naval
base there as Yusaburo Takekoshi pro-
poses.
at is true that, so long as the war
lasts, it's special relationship to the AL
lies will presumably keep it from TAX
inry P,,t OF irnn nf hn
great alterations that will be brought
about in the territorial distribution of
the globe at the conclusion of peace the
,Sunda Strait might very well, if found
to be in an indefensible state and in
weak hands, be apportioned to a
lStronger keeper. 1t is therefore of the
most urgent importance that. when
peace is concluded, the Netherlands
East Indies should be able to declare
that it is in a position to defend itself
land the Sunda Strait
And even Great Britain herself is
not free from the menace of possible
friction between the two nations is
becomins more marked as the feeling
rises in the Far East Empire, and the
demand for a severance of the alliance
with Great Britain increases. Within
Japan the desire for immediate ag
gression against China is almost uni
versal. The people Of Japan see the
opportunity of century fading before
their eyes on account of the reluctance
of their government to press the issue
1t would be almost like the vulgar
phrase Of taking candy from baby
for Japan to subjugate China, were i,
not for the agreement with Great Bri
tain which requires that Japan shall
consult with England on Far Eastern
matters of such Importance. And this
agreement gives England a voice in any
decision reached. The Japanese gov
eminent at the same time it is with
standing the clamorings of the people
for some sort Of retaliation against Am
erica, and withholding from violation
of the rights Of the Netherlands in the
Straits of Sunda, is also restraining
them for taking advantage of the