The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-07-10
TEUTON SEIZURE OF
LAND A SORE POINT
Kato Foresees Defeat OF The
Kaiser; Predicts A Long
Struggle
[By Associated Press to The Bauner1
(By Mail to New York;


Toxic, June 20-By her participa
ton in the war on the side of the En-
tente, Japan has avenged herself up
on Germany for wrestling Japan's
rightful trophy--the Liaotung PENN
sula-from her after the Japan China
war, in the opinion of Viscount TAX
aaki Kato expressed in an article on
the war and Japan's position in the
world published in the Central Re-
view.
Germany as the ringleader and au-
thor of the famous triple intervention,
he writes, compelled Japan to give up
her rightful gain under the pretext of
preserving the peace of the Orient,
and not only sowed the seed of the
Russo-Japanese war decade after,
but unlawfully occupied corner of
Shantung province on a trifling pre-
text. Thus the European war afford
ed a golden opportunity to Japan for
avenging her long harbored enmity
and wrath towards Germany.
Besides, this removal of the Ger
man influence from the East, where
Germany had menaced Japan's activi-
ty in China and the growth of Sino-
Japanese friendship with her fast in
creasing influence, has proved
boundless benefit to Japan as well as
to China, the Viscount declares. The
apprehension entertained by some
thinkers, mostly cursed with German
ophobia, that should the war close in
favor of Germany Japan would be
placed in grave situation has grad
ually disappeared.
Viscount Kato does not agree with
those thinkers who deem the Anglo
Japanese allience valueless because
British in China are constantly COM
batting Japan's interests there, and
because Russia, against whose ambi-
tions the agreement was concluded,
is now no longer menace. He says:
"The tendency of the British in
China to combat Japan's interests in
that country cannot be denied How
ever, any action or utterafice of those
British people in China, who are in
nowise representative figures of the
British nation, must not be seriously
taken as mirroring the sentiments of
the British empire, and what we have
to take into consideration is what
opinion the British government and
enlightened British people in England
entertain towards the alliance"
AS for Russia, the ex-minister says
it should be remembered that the pres
ent equilibrium in the Far East is
result of the alliance with England,
and if the alliance were cancelled
some effective substitute would have
to be found to insure the equilibrium.
To Japan the alliance will always
prove a great benefit, the statesman
thinks. For one thing, he declares
Japan will be able to dispense with
any further extension of her naval
strength which otherwise would have
to be expanded to an extent beyond
the financial capacity of the Empire.
Viewed from this standpoint only the
maintenance of the alliance is of vital
importance and it is a great mistake
to think that the growth of friendly
relations with Russia has removed the
necessity of it's continuance.
He adds: Japan should strive to
further her position among the worlds
nations by respecting and adhering to
the spirit and principle of the Anglo
Japanese alliance and the Russo-Jap-
anese conventions"
Viseount Kato declares that Ger
many is destined to meet utter de-
feat eventually but thinks the war will
last some time.