The New York herald., 1921-09-26

IS Power Of the first rank. however.
lid not actually begin until 1904. just
eighteen years ago. 1t was in that
tear that the hitherto comparatively
obscure Asiatic island empire startled
he world by defeating the hitherto
unvanquisheo armies and navies OF
The Imperial Russian Czar and exact
ed concessions that transformed her
overnight into the dominant influence
In Asia
In the eighteen years that elapsed
between the Japanese-Russian war
and the present date, Japan has fur
nished an exhibition of political. dip
omatic, military. territorial and eco
nomic advancement unparalleled in
the history of nations. She has be-
rome a world Power in every sense OF
The word and at the present time Is
the most turbulent and disturbing
among them.
Through the employment of meth
DDS patiently modelled on the Prussian
system of the Hohenzollerns, she is
universally regarded as being the most
potential menace 10 world peace on
The globe. Her system of diplomacy,
of international intrigue. espionage.
of vigilant aggressiveness, OF unex-
ampled pride almost approaching ar
rogance. has persistently been used to
coerce her less warlike neighbors and
her unquestioned courage has COM
manded respect from nations OF great
pr numbers and superior resources.
Up to the war with Russia. the ter
k.tt hu
was only about 100. 900 square miles
greater than those encompassed with
In the borders of the State of Texas.
Within this entirely insufficient do
main a population of 40,000.000 odd
people were compelled to fight for an
existence under the most depressing
conditions. The demand for expan-
zion became not only necessary as a
matter of military prestige but Of alb
solute economic necessity.
Fruits of Chinese War.
The Mikado's Government. con-
fronted with this most serious OF all
human problems. began to reach out
to find room in which to grow. A one
sided war against huge. illiterate,
peaceful, sluggish and unambitious
China added the valuable island or
Formosa to Japanese territory and
Gave her the comparatively unimpor-
tsnt Parry group of islands. which has
since been transformed into a highly
developed naval base.
The easy victory over China encour-
aged Japan to seek further conquest
on the Asiatic mainland. Sporadic
-. Ix.1t ny-d
of intriguants in Manchuria and the
rovetous Russians brought about the
war which resulted in the humiliation
Of the great Slav nation and contrib
uted the greatest surprise in the his
tory of modern warfare.
While her navies were seeking out
hnd destroying the inadequately
equipped and lily manned units of the
Russian war feet, Japan thrust her
eplendidly organized and managed ar
mics into the mainland of Asia and
Invaded and passed through Corea.
Manchuria and Mongolia in pretty
much the same manner as the forces
Of the Imperial German Kaiser made
towpath of Belgium.
When Japan emerged the victor in
the war with Russia she had inn
pressed her iron grip on the defence
less northern provinces Of China. and
by resort to several forms OF diplo-
matte subterfuge has since retained
practical control of all of them.
The great world war added not only
10 the territory of japan but en-
couraged the expansion of her politi-
cal. military and economic power over
all of northern China and into Siberia,
which she has Systematically set about
reducing to subserviency by the same
process she employed in her earlier
victories.
Bargaining at Paris.
BY sl<ilful bargaining and alert and
subtle diplomacy she compelled the
Paris Peace Conference to grant her
mandatory authority over some of the
most important islands in the Pacific
fringing the equator, Mandatory au-
thority In the Far East practically
amounts to absolute control.
Some idea of the extent to which