New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-02

colors. Setting aside many side issues
the fundamental issue that underlies
most Of their recent contributions TO
American papers Is without doubt what
they construc TO be a high-handed
policy of Japan toward China, and they
proceed, by attacking Japan, to put
China IN the most favorable light be-
fore the American public.
At the outset am entitled, believe,
N refer TO a series Of articles that have
been appearing In The Tribune under
the caption, "Japan's Place In the Sun;
/ What Ii Means to America from the
pen of Mr.. George Bronson Rea, for no
other reason than the fact that l am
one of those who have been picked out
Inv the author as reference to estao-
lish his case. In his first article Mr.
Rea attributes to me the uttering OF
the following warming: UNLESS Amer
"a comes TO an understanding OF the
Japanese viewpoint, | indulge in the
rrodiction that there will be more seri-
Gus relations between Japan and Amer
lon than has been caused by the Cali
fornia affair"
Declares Quotation Is Unjust.
While do not deny that once made
n sneech somewhat 20 that purporh l
must express my regret that the quota
tion is made to serve only Mr. keas
purpose. giving an impression OF
threatening tone, but is unjust to the
sneaker in falling to supplement the
remark by these words which foiioweu'
1--WE are going to remain the hrm ana
/ hest friends of China. Our am Is 10
helm China develop Help US 10
solve the question of what our pest
policy in the East is" New YORK
Tribune. May 20, 1914) Far from pos
ing "a an Isaiah, | asked my American
friends to give their wise couneil 0"
the question at issue.
II is not my present purpose 10 p'sA
. cuarrel with the distinguished en-
for and economist concerning the
abuses and misrepresentation OF Japan
that have been going the ROUNDS OF
the American press under ms l.
80 According to Mr.. Rea, japan Is
~ Tho verge of national bankruptcy
tLo Isnanese bonds are in danger VI
Iacoroino scrap-paper; hence let lor-
80 hondholders beware; Japans rep
Cassa,tative government is farce, ohIy
leSe lid "euphemistically"; the Japas-
nose people are exploited mefcIiess.y
~, military aristocrats; Japan rs near
~, the end of her resources anu
.Lerofore somebody must be fouhu W
go tho hill of her militarism; the
Iononcse government Is impoVerishlns
'bp noonle bv taking out OF their hahus
,ofteble enterprises whose proi'S
10 su,oIlowed up in the ever-lnereas-
~, interest on the national DEBT 'he
a,,nor-censorship, asserted TO be more
otrg;ctIv maintained by the japanese
',o,,ernment in times of peace than the
German war censorship, proves al the
sorne tim. so ineffective as TO let snip
from its control the publication Oh
those sensational stories relerreo "
IN the articles-let these all be LETT 70
the care of the Shanghai editor anu
! kind Fate!
Puzzled by Attitude of Writers.
am. however, constrained to con-
foss NV utter inability to comprehend
bo,x the task of Mr.. Rea, DR.. JenKs
and their kin. who have taken upon
their shoulders the defence Of the cause
of China, could in any way De lui
tbered by the abuse and unwarranteo
attacks upon Japan in which they nave
eoen ft TO indulge. ! know not what
nm their sleeves. Were 1t the OLD game
az Chinese statesmen of putting one
newer against another that these prop
acandists are playing | fear America
csrnot easily be attuned to the play;
for. while she has vast commercial ana
religious interests in China, the sane
and sound opinion of the American
neonle would not, ] confidently believe,
he influenced by these propagandists
10 90 beyond what their true interests
in the Orient dictate to them. The ell
feet of the propagandism upon the
American people is, therefore, not IN
| the least to be feared.
What might prove damaging IS
rather upon China herself. for her dis,
\ illusionment-to rely upon herself ana
Tot upon others, the consummatlon de-
voutly to be wished-would so much
longer be deferred. So far as the task
of placing Japan's position toward
China in its true light is concerned, II
is my pleasure, indeed my duty. 10
do so.
The fundamental policy of Japan
toward China, it cannot be too strongly
emphasized, is quite opposite TO whst
those propagandists for CHINA claim II
TO be. II Is no other than TO cement the
bond of amity and friendship between
the two nations and properly to safe
guard thereby their common interests.
The well known policy Of maintaining
China's integrity and independence and
the "open door" remains to-day, or
course. the same as IL was during the
DAYS of HAY and Komura. Japan's Chi
nese policy. therefore. does not IN the
least run counter TO that OF America
True. this policy does not spring from
pure altruism on the part Of Japan, but
from her enlightened self-interest.
For it should be apparent even TO
outsiders that European encroachment
upon China would prove most prelu
cfal to Japan's interests, bringing Euro,
pean politics to her very threshold and
even endsngering her national exist
ence. while the closing OF China's door
would spell disaster to Japanese COM
merce and enterprise, which have no
better prospect of future development
elsewhere than in China. And none but a
dullard would fail to grasp the I'M
mense benefits that would accrue 10
Japan from close friendship with the
China of such enormous resources. o
win her friendship and to prevent Eu-
ropean encroachment upon her, there
fore. could not but have been the cor,
nerstone Of Japan's policy toward