The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-13
Today
Japan, Be Friendly.
Read About the Frog.
We Need More Ships.
Save Your Money.
y ARTHUR BRISBANE :
Copyright. isss)


authority, says Japan cannot stop
her expensive wsrship building
and army increase until the United
States stops ship building.
You might say, unkindly. that
1t reminds you of the frog in the
fable. He swelled himself up,
swelled and swelled until he burst.
His dying excuse was that he
thought he ought to be as big as
the OK.
There is no reason, as yet, why
Japan SHOULD be as big as the
United States, in warships or any
thing else. A battleship building
competition between the two ma
tions would be expensive for Japan,
and help along the Japanese re-
bellion against autocracy that is
to be the real Japanese problem
eventually.
This country has no unfriendly
feeling toward Japan or the Japs-
ncse, and Japan should have none
toward US. We have decided that
the Japanese civilization and race
will not mix advantageously with
ours, and we shall not permit the
mixture. That is no insult
For Japanese ability, dignity,
science, and marvellous powers Of
construction VIC have intense re-
spect. When we see scientist
such as Noguchi working in the
Rockefeller Institute beside Car
rel, the Frenchman, both repre-
senting highest scientific attain
ment. our feelings are the Same
for the man from Asia as for the
man from France.
II there is a difference, it is
in favor of Noguchi, as compared
with any scientist Of the white
race. For we realize that Japan
has accomplished all her wonders
in a few years. Practically in
two generations she has moved up
from the stage of bows and ar
rows, tomtoms, and masks TO
frighten her enemy to the con-
struction of big guns and battle
ships. There is no ability or prog
ress more deserving Of respect
than that of Japan.
We are entitled to a navy big
ger than Japan because We can
afford it and because, through the
Monroe doctrine, We are pledged
to defend from outside attack all
the smaller nations on these two
American continents. We need
ships enough to defend a dozen
small nations besides our own.
Japan has no such need.
Army and navy represent in
surance. The greater the wealth
the higher the insurance. The
United States has right to carry
higher insurance than Japan could
possibly afford, and the United
States would be fool not to
carry it.
Japan will be foolish if she de-
cides to spend for insurance on
nice Asiatic cottage as much as
, we spend on our American sky
scraper.
What would be mild extrava-
gance in this country would mean
ruin and revolution for Japan.
We can, if We choose, and shall
some day, perhaps, receive from
Europe interest on our loans to
the allies, amounting now to four
teen billions. The interest alone
would amount to seven hundred
million dollars a year. That we
could add quite easily to our pro-
gram of defense and a billion or
two or three billions more.
What is the use of talking about
COMPETITION, Viscount 1shii.
1t is as though the owner of
small garage, interested in gaso-
line, should say: 81 am going to
compete with Rockefeller and
spend what he does, dollar for
dollar" If you have not GOT it,
you cannot SPI d it.
Advertise the act that Japan
means to compete with us in
spending, and what becomes Of
Japan's world credit?
England may be Japan's reli-
ance, since England is Japan's
ally and might be supposed to
welcome a Japanese naval pro-
gram that would increase the pow
er of Britain without cost to Eng
lish taxpayers. But England has
had her day, and she has already
the labor problem that will come
in Japan by and by. England
knows what Japan ought to know:
White races, including all the
great English colonies, are abso-
iutely united against the spread
of Asiatic races, the japanese
master-race especially, in white
territory. Alliance or no alliance,
England would not be allowed by
her colonies to help in any Japa-
nese effort to force japanese col
onization on the North American
Continent. That would mean
trouble in Canada, Australia, and
New Zealand.
Not that they would grievc
about an attack on us, not that
they would send us three million
troops and ten billion dollars,