The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-09
JAP AN IS DOING
 HER SHARES WORK IN WORLD WAR
Supplying Allies Industrial Wants And Men Are
 Ready.

Wants And Men Are
 Ready. Written by N. Kato, London Corre-
 respondent of the Japanese News I
 paper "Osuka Mainichi."O
 From to time curious question is put to us by many Englishmen and other Allies: What is Japan doing in the war ?''-as if Japan had ceas- ed to fight, if not entirely. ceased to be one of the Allies! The question somewhat annoys us, not because our part, seems small, for we know it Is not, but because we notice a certain tendency of thought, or rather mis- understanding, among the people of the Western Allies that, thanks to the great distance. Japan is reaping some rich harvest at a small cost paid at the earlier stage of the war.
 This is an utter mistake. Japan is by no means profiteering; on the con- trary, she is suffering from the conse- quences of the world-struggle as much as any of the Allied nations, with the exception of Belegium and Serbia, not to mention France, the main theatre of the battle.
 Only the other day I was chatting with one of the most influential Jap anese bankers here in London, and he readily confirmed my view that there is no greater mistake than to suppose that Japan is making money out of the war. He was most emphat- ic in asserting that the sooner the ] war is over the better for the Japan csc industries.
 In spite of all that, Japan is firm ly resolved to go through this war un- | til the cause of the Allies is complete | ly victorious. That Ss why she has spared no effort in her cooperation | with the Allies both on land and on water. That is why Japan has mo- bilized the whole of her industrial resources in order to supply muni- l tions to her Allies, especially Russia. And that is why she is always ready i to meet the wishes of her Allies in the way of naval and military opera tions whenever the need for her as- sistance occurs. People who do not think much may l wonder why Japan has not yet sent her troops to Europe. In fact, we are often put this question. as if Jap
 an is shirking the responsibility of
 doing so for her selfish interest," | But are these people aware of the fact that in order to send only one | OlVlSlOn or. LuS army ITOIu Japa no fewer than 20 or 30 big liners and cargo boats are required for it's trans l port, besides a considerable number 1 of warships for it's escort?
 | And that for only one odd division! l Suppose we send over 10 divisions, which will be of some use, more than lone million of Japanese tonnage will I be taken up which Is now being used fol, far more essential purposes of the war. It is for the Allies to de-
 eide whether this is paying busi- ness or not, especially at a. time when there is such dearth of tonnage as now. < It is small wonder, then, that Japan
 has never been' asked by the Allies to send troops to Europe. If, how lever. she were asked to help in this
 way, I am firmly convinced that she | would not hesitate to concur with the wishes of her gallant Allies. At the same time can not help wishing that
 such contingency will never. arise. I But in regard to naval co-opera- l ton, that is an entirely different mat fter. It Is to the benefit of the Allies.
 although there is very little direct benefit to Japan herself.
 It is true that after the successful
 campaign at Tsingtao. the chief eff l
 naval activity. not only in the Far
 Eastern seas and the Pacific ocean
 from where her navy cleared all Ger I man and Austrian warships and com l mercia1 raidersrbut much nearer I home this side of the world, incIud- ing the Indian ocean. And now, at the instance of England and other. AL I lies, our squadrons are cooperating in the Mediterranean.
 No Disagreement With America
 This, by the way, was decided long
 before the United States actually came into the war; showing how ab- Gurd is the so-called strained rela- tion'' between the two nations on
 both sides of the Pacific. If Japan
 had any suspicion or fear of Ameri- ca's intention towards her, it would have been most foolish of her to send over to the Western seas strong de- T tachments of her naval force from the Pacific of the home waters.
 I We Japanese hail the Russian Rev I.olution. The peoples of Russia and Japan never hated each other even l while fighting in our last war; We sI pelled to fight by the aggressive poll icy of the despotic Tsardom. and we 1 fought simply because we had to.
 | Now the Russian people have sIlak- | en off the yoke and are free. It is the
 greatest moral victory the world has yer sen. Her lofty idealish appeals to the Japanese mind more than any
 thing, else, How. then, could the Jap anese ever believe in the absurd ru-
 nor of Russia's separate peace with the common foe of the whole world ? We can not and dare not imagine that I the idealistic Russia will ever betray the sacred cause of the Allies by en- ] tering upon an ignominious negotia- ton for separate peace either with unconqured Germany or with unre- Il pentant Austria.
 s The sense of honor and the spirit
 of chivalry of the Japanese people 1revolt against such a course on the part of any countries, especially one
 of the most trusted Allies. For Jap
 ans stake in the war is not so much
 material as spiritual; and, besides
 Japan would be very sorry indeed to