The sun., 1919-09-10

and the covenant of the League of
Nations
Inbident to the discussion of the Shan
tung question. Japan's military faction
has been made the butt of censure.
There Is no denying the fact that militar-
ism Is the bane OF Japan to-day. jap
anese liberals are at one with American
democrats, that Japan must get rid Of
the military faction before she Is in
position to readjust her Chinese policy.
Nevertheless. Japan's necessity and
desire for foreign expansion will not
cease with the fail or even destruction
OF the military faction. Imperialism.
implying an advocacy Of foreign eco
nomic expansion, Is not a necessary or
concomitant Of militarism or Nautocracy.
On the contrary, democracy can be Just
as imperialistio as autocracy.
Population II Hemmed In.
II Japan succeeded in doing away with
the preponderating influence of the mill
tary faction and in establishing q really
democratic government with universal
suffrage and the absolute freedom of the
press. that would not put an end to the
popular desire for foreign expansion, as
long as her population Is hemmed In on
all sides by the powerful nations Of the
world-as long as her territory is 30
small. so crowded, so deplorably devoid
OF natural resources essential to the up
building of modern industry.
do not think China offers a suitable
field for Japanese immigration for two
reasons. First, China already Is densely
populated. though the density Is much
less than in Japan. Secondly. the JAP
anese laborers cannot compete with Chi
nese. For these reasons Japanese do
! not care to emigrate to China and set
| tie there.
But China certainly does offer the raw
materials which Japan needs most badly
In building up her Industrial system
Every one knows how precarious her In
| dustrial structure Is because of lack OF
such materials, especially coal and iron
Japan consumes something like 1906, 00C
tons Of iron every year. Yet her output
at home does not exceed 100000 tons
She has practically no coking coal al
home.
| 1t Is, therefore. but natural that Japan
should turn to China for its supply OF
these materials She has been. getting
a considerable supply OF iron from the
Tayei iron mines on the Yangtse River
but the supply falls far short of Japan's
| growing needs. II Japan can enter into
ga tisfactory arrangements for the ex,
ploitation or Chtna's mineral resources In
cooperation with the Chinese and foa
the benefit OF both countries. there is
It seems to me. no reason why the out
side world should block her way.
In making such arrangements JapaI
should not. OF course, employ force Of
resort TO questionable methods I an
inclined TO think that Japan's course II
China would be far less secretive ant
devious, but much more open anS
straight. II other Powers which are vel
supplied with raw materials did no
raise their cry Of wolf every tim
Japan got a mining or some other eco
nomic concession In China.
Follows Example of Others
Japan viii lay all her cards upon Tn
table and deal openly with China II tn
Powers do not block her way at over.
turn. There Is no reason, II seems 1
me, why those great Powers which hav
acquired vast territories with enormou
natural resources should unite to pu
an injunction upon Japan's legitimat
J economic enterprises In China
would be the last man to DO a cyniC
! but / am almost tempted to say tha
; Japan's chief sin lies In the simple fac
, that abe entered the international rae
, for expansion too latA Time was whe