The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-10
JAPAN HAS AVENGED
HERSELF ON GERMANY

iokio, July BY her participa.
ton in the war on the side of the
Entente, Japan has avenged herself
upon Germany for wrestling Japan's
rigntful trophy-the Linotung Pc
ninsula-from her after the Japan
China war, in the opinion of Wis
count Takaaki Kato, expressed in an
article on the war and Japan's po
sition in the world published in the
Central Review
Germany as the ring-leader and
author of the famous triple inter
vention, he writes. compelled Japan
TO give up her rightful gain under
the pretext of preserving the peace
of the Orient, and not only cowcd
the seed of the Russo-Japanese war q
decade after, but unlawfully occu-
pied corner of Shantung province
or a tritiing prctcNt. Thus the Eu.
;rotean war afforded a golden oppor
,trnity to Japan for avenging hei
lCng harbored enmity and wrath to
wal ds Germany.
E,sides, this removal of the Ger
man influence from the East, where
Germany had menaced Japan's activ
ity in China and the growth of Sino
japanese friendship with lher fast
increasing influence, has proved q
bpundless benefit to Japan as vel
as to China, the Niscount declares
The apprehension entertained by
some thinkers, mostly cursed witr
Germanophobia that should the wal
close in favor of Germany Japal
would be placed in grave situation
has gradually disapptareu
Niscount kato does not agree Will
those thinkers who deem the Anglo
japanese alliance valueless because
British in China are constantly com
batting Japan's interests there ant
because Russia, against whose am
bitions the agreement was concluded
is now no longer a menace H,
says;
THE tendency of the British il
China to combat Japans interest.
i'll that country cannot be denied
However, any action or utterance oi
those British people in China, wht
ale in no wise representative figures
of the British nation, must not he
seriously taken as mirroring the sen
timents of the British empire, ant
what we have to take into consider.
alton is what opinion the British
government and enlightened British
people in England entertain towards
the alliance"
AS for Russia, the eX-minister say
it should be remembered that the
present equilibrium in the Far Eas,
is a result of the alliance with Eng
land, and if the alliance were can.
celed some effective substitute would
have to be found to insure the
elulibium.
To Japan the alliance will always
prove a great benefit, the statesman
tanks. 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
tile financial capacity of the Empire
Viewed from this standpoint only
the maintenance of the allianca is OF
vital importance and ii is great
mistake to think that the growth OF
friendly relations with Russia has
removed the necessity Of its contin
uance
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
tie Russo Japanese conventions
Viscount Kato declares that Ger
manv is destined to meet utter de-
feat eventually but thinks the war
will last some time
HOGWALLOW HAPPENINGS i.