El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-09
WHAT JAPAN'S
MOVE WILL MEAN
London Writer Says She
Cannot Do Much Against
Germans in Russia.

London. Eng, April s.-We are on
/ the eve OF decisive action by Japan IN
I the Tar east For weeks her army and
{ her navy have been ready. The first
moves have already been made still
( greater acts VIII soon follow.
The idea generally entertained in
Z Europe Is that the powerful Japanese
army, which is intact and which, since
! the capture Of Tsingtau has taken no
Z part in the war. is to advance through
I Siberia and attack the Germans on
their eastern European front This
lis wrong.
From a military point OF view Il
would be so dangerous that unless
there were a considerable Russian
force in the field ready to cooperate
with the japanese, We could not rea-
sonably ask our eastern ally TO at
tempt It.
No one can say definitely what
japan and the allied governments VIII
decide to do. All that can pc told IS
what the Japanese people themselves
are expecting. They ask that the
japanese army shall take possession
of Russian Siberia and the Amur
province, including the port OF Nladi-
vostok and the great boom city Of
the east. Harbiu. This includes one
Of the richest and most fertile areas
in the world, with porentla. wealth. N
mines and soil greater probably tnan
in any other area Of similar extent
anywhere. It IS today part OF the new
Siberian republic, which has its capir
tai at Omsi
DesoIate County InferTeues.
The occupation Of these places
VIII bring Japan little nearer the
fighting front in Europe than she is
at the present time. The distance be-
tween HarhiB and the war IN Euro
pean Russia Is as far as from western
Canada to London Much Of the coun-
try is desolata and trackless, save for
4 occasional post roads and single
It IS unsaHt the japanese urge. 20
allow G German-domiuate Russia TO
impiuEe on their borders. Their vital
interests are at stake. It would be
wealth and material OF this great area
to come under German influence.
Some japanese speakers 90 further.
4lr. Imukai. president Of the political
party, KokumintO, recently urged that
Japan should retain possession OF a
sia's debt TO her OF f22000,o00. Others
think like him
The advance Of Japan against Har-
bin VIII be something more than a
measure for the protection o. threat
ened japanese interests in the far
east 1t VIII be the beginning Of
fresh era in the worlds history, one
fraught with q possibility q greater
changes TO east and west than even
the momenrous days OF august. ls14s
when Europe sprang TO arms.
Japan Rich From War.
am aware that such q statement
must seem 10 many readers Q mere
exrravagauCe. Time viii I believe,
prove the contrary The war has al
ready Transformed the position OF
won great military glory and secured
many diplomatic victories. she was
poor and heavily IN debt Her taxa
ton was crushing and her manufac-
lures. were. struggling for life. Moth
ing but the amaEing tenacity and
courage Of her people enabled them
10 carry on Even then. however,
Japan was laying her plans for great
er dominion
Then came the war. It has turned
poverty into riches Japan never
dreamed o. such wealth as has been
flowing in on her during the past
tnree years The great gold deficit
ia her treasury has been transferred
industries nave established them
selves securely In many markets Po-
liticallT, war has enabled japan 10
realize her ancient dream Of suprem-
acy over her big neighbor China
The war has taxed the manhood and
wealth Of the rest Of the allies to
the full: Il has cleared the Obstacles
out Of the path CT japan
American-Japanese Expedition.
While We have been sQuanderlng
our wealth, she has been accum 1latiug
wealth. while We have been shedding
our best blood freely she has been
building up her army and her navy
to strength previously uneQualed.
japanese wares OF every kind have
been pushed IA markets from New
Zealand TO South America. where
European manufactures are no longer
available.
Her exports TO Britain have doubled
Ia value IN single year. In ten
years her total exports have almost
qradrupled
But japan Is our ally. and wiz
doubtless take whatever step she does
take after fun conference with
II Japan has determined that such an
her own interests. we cannot prevent
What we can DO, however, is 20 narti-
possible ahead that what action is
taken IS purely a measure for urotee-
ton.
Let whatever step IS taken be taken I
jointly. The one ally marked out for /
any protective measures considered /
necessary IN llanchuria and Siberia is /
America. A Joint American-Jauanese ]
expedition for the settlement Of dis
turbances IN AEiatic Russia and the I
protection Of allied interests there I
rrrwNT he HranH