Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-20
IMPORTANT CONFERENCES
WITH JAPANESE MISSION
Good Time to Clear Many NIisunder-
standings Long Existing Be-
tween Two Nations.
SOON TO VISIT WASHINGTON
Hoped Also to Disabuse Mind OF ORR
entail Statesmen OF Feeling That
People of United States Arc
Afraid OF Them.
Especial to The rimes-Dlspatch.l

WASHINGTON. August 10. Within
another week series OF war confer
ences will begin in Washington. with
tho arrival OF tho Japanese war mission.
moro important in some respects. than
any participated In by this governme Mt
liCerent.
Tho British and French conferences
were momentous. OF course. They
served to mature tho plans of the
United States for immediate war ac-
tivity. and for the most thorough CO.
operation with Americas allies. But
In dealing with the British and French
governments. the President was neg,-
tiatinG with nations whose friendliness
could not be questioned. anc to which
assistance might be extended with COM
plcte freedom.
But this is not true Of the Japs. Not
withstanding the public utterances OF
the Japanese statesmen to the contrary.
1t is we'll known that many Of them
have distrusted tho protested friend
ship of the United States. and have re-
sented from the beginning any interest
which this country took in Oriental
affairs. They never became reconciled
10 our occupation of the Philippines: to
our open door" policy, with respect
to China. and have openly objected
to the nnti-Jap legislation Of the Pa
cifc Coast States.
Later STILL they have found fault
with the interest which this govern
ment took in the rc-establishment Of
the Chinese republic. and took excSp-
tion to the Presidents embargo agains,
the expectation Of steel. upon the MS
sumption that IT was directed against
the further expansion OF their mer-
chant marine. The proposal Of this
government to limit the shipments of
gold to japan was another circum-
stance to which the Japs found OBJ
lection.
MORE FRICTION EXISTS
THAN PUBLIC KNOWS
These things have caused friction,
more. perhaps. than has been apparent
on tho surface. They have resulted in
Observation-Disclosures. which have been
unfortunate. moro unfortunate now
that tho United States and Japan are
united in n common cause. And Il is
with these circumstances. as we'll as
with the future course of the two ma
tions against Germany. that the forth
coming conferences arc expected TO
deal.
Aside from war subjects which will
come up next week. the present seems
about az coed time as any to disabuse
the Japanefe mind OF the feeling that
the people of tho United states are
afraid OF them. Too many Japs in pub
lie life have conceived the false idea
that America trcmbled at every
thought of the military power of that
country. All this resulted from the
fact that lot OF Americans have
srent years warning their countrymen
against a possible Japanese invasion:
against their sudden seizure of the
Pacific Coast. the fertilization OF tho
Rockies. and their defiance of all forces
that might possibly be sent against
them.
Ominous word-pictures have been
painted by these Americans OF the
presence of hundreds of thousands of
disguised Jap soldiers in this country;
Of gigantic plots to partition the
United States. and the massacre OF mill
lions of defenseless citizens in the
Pacific States. Every time Japanese
merchant ship ran ashore on n Mexican
coast. 1t was shown that new naval
base was being established. Every
Mexican ranch that engaged few Jap
laborers was discovered to be another
mobilization center for hostile Japa-
nese army.
All this twaddle was swallowed by GER
tain of tho Japs themselves and Gre
ated in them the notion that the United
States was big, overgrown. blub-
bering baby OF a nation that jumped at
its own shadow. and took to It's heels
at the mere mention Of Japanese
raid.
But there can hardly remain any such
foolish ideas now. Certainly none will
stick in any intelligent Japanese mind.
when it contemplates the fact that the
United States now has an army of a
potential strength OF 100000. navy
OF moro than a thousand vessels and
is in war alliance with moro than
twenty nations of the earth
Tho Japanese war mission probably
will return home very much enlight-
ened about many things. The, first
should be the fact that the United
States is not their enemy, publicly or