Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-27

ests in Shantuns? What would have
become OF the open ports OF China and
India with Germany in possession OF a
protected harbor on the China coast
and German cruisers nj large in the
Pacific and indian Oceans? t
Also it was largely Japan who aroy.
Germany out of her possessions in the
South sea Islands. and Japan to-day is
ma ini3 ming the peace OF the Orient
and hy the cooperation Of her navy
allowing Great Britain 10 hold together
hcr fleets on the Atlantic and no.
divide them in the face Of the enemy
In this connection IL is well worth
| while 20 remember that If Japan had
not Loyalty nnd promptly supported
| England in the BEGINNING or this war.
! II would have been necessary Mt that
| time for Great Britain to divide her
navy TO protect her colonies. such
necessity would almost certainly have
brought disaster to the cause OF the
allies. Gould the German navy have
been bottled up 50 successfully MS ii
NAG been without the cooperation OF
japan" The answer is obvious. Does
not America ow. special debt %
gratitude TO Japan because she has
maintained peace on the Pacific. and
routes in the East have been kept vide
open throughout this terrific war? II
this gratitude exists. one hardly ever
hears X mentioned. Germany knows
| these things better than We do. and
, acknowledges them--in a different way.
OvERTIRES BY GE.tMASY
ron PEACE WITH .IApAS
Does any one question. who knows
the situation. that during this war
definite oNertures have been made by
Germany toward Japan asking for A
separate peace? do not mean hints l
mean clear-cut propositions Offering a
separate peace with Japan. and certain
well ~ orth- while compensation in the
Pacific IL Japan would only withdraw
her help 70 The allies in this war and
asaime D neutral attitude After this
var IS over. IL is to be hoDed that
Sccr"t diplomacy will play no further
important part in international poll
I tica. ard one Of the facts which wili
lie made public then viii be the con-
tinued loyalty or Japan to the "a use
~ the allies and her treaty with Great
britain. in tho face OF NOR" than one
severe tcmpts ton from the central
powers
know that some OF the most able
snh representative statesmen Of Japan
nave Tor more than year strongly
urged sending quota q: Japanese
( troops either 20 the eastern or western
front. Baron Sakatani. we'll known
, IN THIS country, and Japan's special
envoy 10 III" Economic Conference in
: Paris. is one OF thr strong upnolders
or this policy. The leaders OF Japan
ana Grcat Eritain are in very close
touch; is II not probab!. that those
VINO control in the affairs Of the allies
do not think II is wise at this time 10
dcplete Japan Of 200 0c0 or 100000 sol
s:eds. with Russia n revolution aud
Germany. 20 say the least. very in
innate relations with that country.
Also II IL questionable whether a Jap
anese army 81 Il few hundred thousand
men would be 81 any great service On
the western front. on account OF their
relatively limited number.
ARMY IhFOSSIBI.E WITH
PRESENT ALLIED SHIPPING
IL is certainly true that to send such
an army such a distance and maintain
II from Japan. which would DO neces-
sary. would be immense undertake
ing. Many able army experts state
X is Impossible with the limited num-
ner OF ships at the disposal q. tho al
lies. ship" arc needed almost more
ihan men a. this time. and would the
allied councils agree 10 such sacri-
/ fec. .or after all. relatively only a
fe~ soldiers II must be remembered
tnat IL takes seven weeks from Yono-
hama to Marseiiles via the Sucz Canal
certaini: no one knowing the condi-
tons would advocate sending japanese
soldiers TO the Russian ron, a, this
time.
Coupled with this question Of sending
stantly hears the unjust assertion that'
Japan VIII not send her troops because
her demands IN compensation arc more
than the allies are willing TO pay In
other wo-ds. that ia paa is irving to
tEan- capital Of the war a:d force
her allies - give her certain conces-
k sions before she wiil help with her
army. Never have been able to
secure from such critics on. single
fact 20 support this contemp;ibl. ana
unfair accusation. have lived in
Japan eighteen years and | know h"r
people in all walks or life. and do
not believe one word Of such = S,ai"-
ment II Is in direct conflict with
everything know and have observed
of her Individual and national stan
darGs OF honor. and unless hacked ~
definite proof. n" one su"uld make such
an allegation unless they ar-ir. to play
int" the hands Of Germany. Il i just
such vicious and ii-lntnrmed criti-
cIsnls y" should guard ourselves
against.
IfAN0RrrE STORIES SPREAD
TO DISCKIDIr JAPAN
There are two other taNcrite stories
against Japan one hears On every side
one is the alleged attack on the
sovereignty Of China IN the Sino-Jap-
ancsr treaty OF 1915 Before criIici.ing
this treaty, We should 81 least read II
u is NOT fair to hear criticisms against
this treaty giving oaly u part OF the