Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-11
FAIR WORDS AND FAIR DEEDS

tied properly by fair words alone.
yet they Will 90 a long way if shown
to be based on fair intention and in
accord with good sense. Mr.. Hoover
has remarked: You cannot make
peace with documents. Peace must
be made in the hearts Of men"
In. such spirit spoke General
Wood in al address last week be-
ford the American Japan Society at
Toxic:
Loose and idle reports by ire
sponshle persons have been largely
responsible for this talk OF strained
relations but cut relations are not
strained, and are going always to be
good he said Americans want TO
build up trade ard commerce. but
welcome open ard fair competition.
Americans are sure the japanese ask
Only the same. There is room enough
for all honorable competition,
1t would be a tery.o.e reflection
upon modern civilization If two
great peoples like those Oh Japan and
the United States could rot get to-
gether around the contcre~ce board
and settl. all or nearly all Of their
difficulties. We cannot hide the fact,
Of course, that great issues u?ay arise
that viii challenge a., our Will and
diplomacy to reach a solution, but
there seems to be nothing in the
present situation betueen Japan and
America ju.tlfyine even a suspicion
Of such an issue. No one can visit
Japan and go away unfriendly to her.
I and my colleagues came here as
friends from a friendly country and
will leave with even warmer feel
ings"
Japan has lad from Us fair play as
we'll as fair words. If she will re-
spord in like measure there ought to
be no difficulties between the two
countries which may not be anicabIy
settled. It should not be overlooked
that she IS subject to Influences
which do not affect us We have no
desire for territory in Asia Japan
has AL we ask is an opportunity to
trade such as we grant to others.
~ +-C -'AC44A '>C 0pN-tA444c +bI
controlling the trade Of our next door
neighbors. Japan, on the other hand
by reason Of her expanding popula-
ton and power of production is look
ing about for some place TO 20 and
has endeavored to assume special
privileges in her neighborhood This
desire has urged her into more ag-
gressive attitude than is seenly.
Some Of her aggressions have had
sinister significance. She has at
tempted the high hand with China
She had plenty Of examples for so
doing. Russia, German, England
and France have all done that which
now places Japan under suspicion.
They have sought ard obtanc from
China with little regard to the latter.
China, the unwie,dly giant, invites
aggressions OF greed as a Uttered
field invites confagration. With
North against South, with great
masses Of her people ignorant and
subjected to officials grating on her
like ticks on 4 sheep. poor old China
is in a bad way. It is not surprising
that Japan, seeing the successful
penetration by the European nations
in the Asiatic field resorted to like
methods as her own strength enabled
her to do.
Having begun she will inevitably
experience diHiculty in retracting
should she really decide to do this. IF
her leaders, weighing the alternative
Of peace with fairness to all with
that Of war. shall conclude that peace
is preferable then will come the diff
nculty Of making their people see it
in the same light when the nlilitaris-
tic element Is encouraging an oppo-
site view. An attitude on our part
like that shown by General Wood
will strengthen the hands of the
peace element in Japan. In that way
lies her prosperity as we'll as our
own. If we believe that military ag-
gresson inevitably comes home to
roost; that those who take the sword
must perish by the sword and like
wise make the process very uncom-
Portable for their neishbors. If Ger
many pays thirty three billion dol
lars in rsparation in the next forty
years, the United States will pay as
much for preparation unless a meth
Cd shall be found to curtaii the ex-
penditure. Japan will be forced to
develop the strength necessary to
hold that which she may sreedtly
and unfairly take. Once her feet are
firmly set on that road there win be
no turning back except under COM
pulsion, which will mean war. If this
people so recently coming within the
pale Of that which we term civiliza-
ton shall be able at this time to
choose the right course aseuredly the
older and larger nations OF the earth
ought to have sufficiently enlightened
selfshness to de so. II the problems
over which Japan and the United
States are at odds may be adjusted
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