The Washington herald., 1920-10-12

II Japanese Premier Hara TO the Far East Serv
u ice of the Public Ledger and published yester-
day in The Washington Herald, appears para
graph which goes to the very root of the whole
controversy between Japan and California.
I'VE cannot believe" says the premier, that the
anti-Japsnese agitation in California represents the
public opinion OF the United States"
1t does not That is emphatically true. Cali
fornis believes that the rest of the nation bet
ter informed to the conditions complained of
the general sentiment would back that of our great
Pacific State. As yet the country as whole is not
informed and is not thinking of the issues
that troubling the Californians.
In the main, sentiment in this nation has always
been friendly to Japan. 1t was Commodore Perry,
of the United States navy, who first opened Japan
to Western civilization. 1t was to the United
States that the Japanese government sent for their
education the young who afterward became lis
leading statesmen. 1t was in our Naval and Mill
tary academies that the Japanese admiras and gen.
erals who won the with Russia had their first
Training. 1t was in the homes OF Washington and
New Haven, Conn, that forty years ago, the first
Japanese girls to be given liberal educations were
brought up, and returned to become great factors
in the intellectual development Of their country.
=. When Japan was embroiled in war with Russia
American sentiment almost a unit for the
plucky little island kingdom 1t is not to be denied
that since there has been certain revulson of SEN
timent, some due to artful propaganda in the yell
lowest OF press, some to apprehension Of
JaPan's rising spirit OF militarism-which indeed
Baron Hara denies is increasing in any way, but
which to the onlooker at this distance does seem
TO cloud the future in the Pacific
However, in the main, the country as a whole
does not as yet sympathize with the California
-anti-Japanese propaganda Perhaps it may be
brought to do by the efforts of Caifornians in
~ al -.
,anti-Jspanese law in next months referendum.
Certain it is that in any controversy between one
of our sisterhood Of States and any foreign power
whatsoever the people of the United States will
stand a unit for their own.
1t IS, therefore, fortunate that the japanese pre-
1nier has adopted pacific and argumentatve tone
in discussing this issue which may soon become
acute. He properly SCOTS at the idea that it can
ever be submitted to the arbitrament OF war. That
Is unthinkable. If we look upon it from a grossly
material standpoint the finances OF Japan are in
suCL state to make war impossible The
United States, which has become the international
banker, IS not going to lend money for war upon
itself. No other nation has money to lend
:; But more than that, the sound common sense
OF our people IS averse to entrance upon further
wars. That fact is strikingy emphasized by the
rather ridiculous efforts Of each OF our two Presi-
dental nominees to prove himself the more effet-
tive friend OF peace. They differ about leagues and
covenants but not about the end sought And while
each' for the sake Of its electoral VOTE might mani
fest strong prediction sympathy for CALIFORNIA;
fear OF the japanese, neither one once elected, is
going to be the means of translatng that fear into
bombs and poison gas.
Premier Hara is quite right in his confidence
that this controversy will be settled by peaceful
arbitration. California will be upheld in all reason
able steps to protect herself from what she thinks
a meuacing foreign intrusion. But she will be
asked to give consideration to the benefits
she gains from these very foreigners. And above
all 1t will be insisted that she shall not approach
this local issue with heat and intolerance that may
embroh the nation with power respect, and
for the greatness of which the United States is
largely responsible.