The Washington times., 1920-05-30

nations have struxsled for, supren-
acy. Today the prosperity or deca-
dence of n nation depends on. Its
power in the Pacific; 10 possess the
Pacihc In to be master of the world.
A. Japan finds itself mt the center
Of that ocean, II must have clear
Views ON Pacific questions"
Equally Interesting IL the "Indo-
japanese Association" whose activi.
ties appear somewhat peculiar In
view of the political alliance between
Japan and the British Empire. .
Count .Okuma in 1907 had this to
say regarding India: -..
,rBeing oppressed by the Europeans,
the 300.0o0.Qo0 people, of India, are
looking for Japanese protection. Why
should not the Japanese stretch out
their hands toward hat country
The Japanese ought to go to India,
the South Ocean and other parts OF
the world" ..,... - a..
GERMANY PRONE IN EAST. .- -
The outbreak OF the European war
gave Japan a golden opportunity to
eliminate one OF the white powers
from the Far East. The German
stronghold OF Kiaochow was promptly
reduced, while Germany's possessions
in the Pacific Ocean north Of the
equator were likewise occupied by
Japanese forces. ...
Here Japan stopped md politely
declined all proposals. 70 send armies
TO Europe or Western Asia. H-r
sphere was the Far East, her rc;--
obtectives were the reduction OF the
white influence there and the rivetins
of her control over China.
As the semi official Japanese CO.
lonial Journal put it in the autumn
of 1914:
ITO protect Chinese territory, not
only will Japan try to erase the am
billions of Russia and Gernanyi II
will do its best 10 prevent England
md the United States from touching
the Chinese cake"
Equally frank were japanese warn
ings to the English ally not TO oppose
Japan's progress in China The Toxic
Universe in April. 1915, said:'
Hostile, English opinion seems 10
oppose japanese demands in CHINA.
Let England bewares japan will toll
crate no wavering: she is quite ready
to abandon the Anglo-Japanese aln-
ance and turn to RUSSIA Power
with whom she can agree perfectly
regarding Far Eastern interests. She
IL even rcauy W u'""
many"
A year later. In July. 1916, the Japa-
nese and Russian governments signed
a Diplomatic instrument which
amounted practically TO an alliance.
By this document Russia recognized
Japsn's parnmountcy over the bulk OF
China. while Japan recognized Rus
sia's special interests in China's west
ern dcpendencies, Mongolia and Tur-
kcstan. Japan thus eliminated an
other OF the white powers from the
Far Fast. since Russia renounced
those ambitions TO dominate China
proper which had provoked the war of
1904 ~ ....
The year 1917 brought three mo-
mentous notifications into the world
situation: The entrance of the United
states and China into the Great War
and the Russian Revolution. The FIRST
two were intensely distasteful TO
Japan. The Transformation of virtual
ly unsrmed America into a first-class
hEhting power reacted portentiously
upon the Far East. while Chfna's ad.
hcsion to the Grand Alliance gave her
potential friends.
Russia's collapse into anarchy,
however. presently opened up new
NlNNNEs NpN TnfEflN HuIlnfIn nhH-
churla. but also the huge expanse of
Siberia. lay temptingly exposed. At
once the powerful imperialist ele-
ments in Japanese political life began
clamoring for forward" action.
MIkADo ENTEEs SIBERIA.
An opportunity for such action was
soon vouchsafed by the Allied deter
mination TO send q composite force to
Siberia to checkmate the machina-
tions Of the Russian Bolsheviki. The
lmperlallst party at Toxic In fagrant
disregard OF the inter-Allied agree
ment. poured a great army into ST.
beria, occupying the whole country as
far west ne Lake Taikal
Ccrmrny's sudden collapse and the
unexpectedly quick endinR OF the war
was a blow to,Japsnese plans In more
ways than one. For Japan the war
had been an unmixed benefit II had