Evening star., 1920-02-01
BY THEODORE f. BURTON,
Former Senator from Ohio.

Former Senator from Ohio.
T is my desire to present series
Of articles upon four countrie:
across the Pacific recently visited
Japan, China. Australia anG
New Zealand
There is no need to dwell upon the
Immensely increased importance OF
their political. commercial and socia
relations with the United States
Nearly seventy years ago William H
Seward, in some remarks in the Sen
ate. said:
''The Pacific ocean, it's shores, it's is
lands and the various regions beyond
will become the chief theater OF
events in the worlds great here
after" This prophecy has come near
er its fulillment in the years Of this
twentieth century.
Japan inevitably occupies the first
place in our attention because Of a
marvellous Transformation from seclu-
sion to a position among the leading
powers of the earth. Her industrial
development has been quite as re-
markable as her political. The rapid
expansion Of trade between the United
States and Japan is shown by the fact
that our exports to the latter coun-
try increased twelve-fold in the ten
years from 1909 to 1919. an unprece-
dented record.
The question relating to the Land
of the Rising Sun which stands out
most prominently is: will Japan
I 70 ho nj 30 inn
perialistic power?" It is to be noted
that with the downfall of autocracies
in Russia, Germany and Austria. Japan
now retains the nearest approach to a
regime of absolutism. Many writers
have dwelt some with apparent en-
thusiasm. upon the existence of con-
lstitutional government in Japan. Just
what this government is will be ex-
amined later. An autocracy is nat
urally militaristic. 1t also stimulates
territorial aggression and demands
for trade advantages by the exercise
Of political power. Irrespective of
forms of government it must be con-
ceded that tendencies to imperialism
would more naturally continue in ia
pan than in any other country because
of a variety of indictments, opportu-
mites and excuses.
Japan proper. consisting of islands
with total area Of $4,000 square
miles. has a population of $4,000, 900,
Increasing at the rate of about zoe, 900
year. and in density Of population is
surpassed only by England. Belgium
and Holland. But this comparison is
entirely Inadequate to describe the
real situation. A much larger part
Of these three countries is available
for use. while in Japan. where every
where there is background of noun
d. tains. hardly one-seventh of the su-
perf1cial area is susceptible of culti-
vation. and this is utilized to the very
limit. With the advancing standards
of living in Japan and her Industrial
growth there is an increasing con-
sumption quite out of keeping with
that of former years.
Seeds Of War in Japan.
To those whose political philosophy
ascribes wars and the ambitions of
nations to the requirements of the
stomach and the material wants of
life Japan presents an illustration of
the most startling nature.
A Scotch merchant. intimately ia
miliar with a community of some $50
families in the japanese island of
Kyushiuf tells me that eleven years
ago not half a dozen of these families
used rice as regular article of food,
the rest indulging in it only on holi-
days and special occasions. Now every
family demands it, and dependence
upon other foods formerly used would
be regarded as a badge of social in
feriority.
The chief reliance for clothing is
upon cotton. This must be obtained
from outside, the bulk of the supply
being derived from India, the United
States and China, in the order named.
OF wool. which has come to be used in
much larger quantities, there is prac-
tically no supply, the land of Japan
being too valuable to be used for the
pasturage of sheep or cattle. One of
THE chief grievances in the recent war
Twas the embargo placed upon wool by
countries which were large producers
Of it. For supplies of iron and steel
also Japan is dependent on other
countries, because both iron ore and
coking coal are lacking. It is evident
that a rapidly growing share of food
and raw materials. absolutely neces-
3sary for the very existence of the
japanese people, must come from be-
yond her borders. Rice must be i'm
ported in large volume, and China for
bids its expectation. From only two
sources, Siam and French Indo-China,
has any considerable supply been re-
Gently obtained. The Japanese are
uation that of the United States, to
whose people they say a boundless
abundance of the necessaries of life is
available from all the new world
Another incentive to imperialism is
the awakened ambition OF the people
because of the notable victories
achieved during the last twenty-five
iyears in three wars. Her people had
icome to consider her military strength
as second only to that of Germany.
An admiration for that country pos
sessed the military element among
them, and many would make that
country their model.
Sympathy With Germany.
While the result Of the late war
was doubtful and there was much
outspoken sympathy for Germany. a
lprominent Japanese professor. who.
according to the Japanese who's