New-York tribune., 1921-02-21
By Nathaniel PETER
1921. New York Tribune Inc


TOXIC, Jan. 1S.-The persistence
with which it is denied, at least in
Japan. is one of, the surest signs that
var between Japan and the United
States has become an active, concrete
issue. 1t has been discussed as an
academic question in this part of the
world for the last decade. 1t has now
become a very practical question.
When q Japanese thinks of national
defeuse, when he visualizes war, it is
America he visualizes as the potential
enemy, almost as a subconscious re-
action.
/ dc not mean by this to make any
slarmist representations. For those
Who expect to find any virulent anti
Americanism openly rampant in Japan,
IS | did when l left Peking, there is
destined to be pleasant surprise In
thina we had heard of impending anti
american demonstrations. with posi-
bilities even OF violence. The tone of
tle Japanese press and small incidents
20 indicated.
Treatment of Tourists Courteous
iae facts are, if anything. to the
itrary. If one did not know from
il newGpa pers that anti-Japanese leg
sOn had been passed in California,
}gswould not learn it from his treat
eat in any Japanese city. In my CAGE
bat has been marked by the same
adliness and courtesy | have always
lived from Japanese. And my ex-
fence is corroborated by that of
r cricun residents.
Y number of heated meetings to pro-
>e.t against CALIFORNIA; S action have
oeen held, it is true. Jingoistic ed-
torials have appeared in many of the
papcrs, the least influential ones. In
lamed statements have been made by
r'rtain statesmen, chiefly Chauvinists.
But these have ceased, partly because
OF official stimulation, which is signifi-
can't The Japanese have kept their
heads
0utwardly there is calm, probably
greater than that in America. But it
is indisputable and useless to conceal
hat beneath the calm there is an
against
America amounting to bitterness.
Though sharpened by the immigration
lSSue this has causes that lie deeper
man immigration, that go down to the
convection that America stands in the
way OF Japan's destiny. And if events
continue to march in their present
tfend, with friction heated by con-
s'ant succession of incidents and each
,ncident magnified by the existing fric-
ION, the fame may burst.
mat, the American issue, ia one OF
NE two great facts that stand out
ABOVE all others in contemporary Ja-
pan The second is another under
current, even deeper-tne undercurrent
u social unrest showing at the surface
n opposition to the governments for
gigh policy labor disturbances, suffrage
uemonstrations. socialism and even
snarcniStlc movements, what is called
mere dangerous thought.
Two Problems Interdependent
and these two facts are mutually in
efactng. The eventuation of each will
se influenced largely by the eventuation
Y 1.-THE me other. The future of the Pacific
VAN be determined largely by the com.
TESfatlve effect of the one on the other
ilat IS to say ,khether there is war
G,'h America depends considerably or
,u ,ue course the social undercurren,
sshes and its speed, and that depends
a"s,uieraoiy on the course of Japanese.
,'"er'ean am. relations. The outcome OF
s1 sGsl"l unrest may prevent war. 1t may
fSt foot Lp nelp preclpitate it. There is on
wjtS .eIe .e strange race against time
sne entries half concealed.
cor,aa I've spent month in Japan, con
facts PRINCIPALLY with those two
4 Mon, "i'n the elements that compose
Of 80 ,bsn "nd the implications growing out
'si'' For they are what matter
(CeEtInued ON mana thr..A