The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-09-13
Introduction by Japan
Of Racial Equality
Issue Grave Mistake

NAAoN IL "obiN pS u
great mistake for Japan to introduce
the vague question of racial equal
ity' at the forthcoming Washington
conference. He asserted that the jap
anese people as a nation are treated
on terms of more thar equality.
Japan is, in fact, one of the five
great powers and is also one of the
greater three powers he said. "As
a nation we belong to the privileged
class. What more do we want?"
Regarding immigration, however,
Count S%oyeshima believed the ques-
ton was different. He did not see
how the United States could attempt
to impose her will on Japan and China
while she keeps her own doors closed
to Asiatics.
Count Soyeshima said that nothing
surprised him more than the attitude
OF that section of the Japanese people
who, when President Harding asked
the Japanese government if it would
participate in a conference among
the great powers for a limitation of
armament, said that a great national
crisis had come and that Japan would
be bound hand and foot by the other
great powers. What for? What had
Japan done to be thus bound?"
Gospel of Peaa
In his opinion the Presidents pro-
posal is a gospel of peace, and there
fore the Japanese should most heartily
welcome it, for if it is carried out and
the United States, Great Britain and
Japan agree to limit their ornaments,
at the least it will be a blessing to
Japanese taxpayers, already overbur-
dened.
"Some people are of the opinion
that at the conference China will be
the plaintiff and Japan the defend
ant" he continued. But in the eyes
of the Almighty, Japan is no more a
defendant than the other great pow
ers.
1.-THE decision of the League of Ma
lions is sacred and %inviolable, and al
though the United States is not a
member of it, she was the elading
spirit in it's making. Therefore we
are justified in expecting her to re-
spect it's decision. zap and Shantung
should not, therefore, be made sub
jects of discussion at the conference.
But in order to show her good faith
Japan should withdraw her troops
from Shantung and Siberia without a
moments delay, a suggestion which l
have been making during the last 30
months.
Right Vile Triumph
"The saying that right triumphs
over wrong in the long rum applies to
nations as well as to individuals. Had
we been absolutely blameless and
strictly faithful in the observance of
all our International duties and obi
cations we would have been in a po-
sition to invite the other great powers
to a conference in Toxic. Let Japan
go to the Pacific conference with a
sense of justice. Let her be frank
and outspoken. Let her truly aim at
- the permanent peace of the world;
then she will have nothing to fear and
certainly nothing to lose, but every
thing to gain. In order to attain this
end we must send as u delegates
men whose records as diplomats are
irreproachable. Unfortunately, Wis
count Maxine is the minister of the
imperial household and therefore we
cannot avail ourselves of his great
qualities as a statesman. Whether he
likes to go or not, we must send
Count Chinda, who is another YER
sincere-hearted and able diplomat. Let
Baron Shidehara support him with his
heart and soul, and then we can be
fairly at ease. Some jingoes talk of
sending Genro and other obsolete and
anachronistic persons, but they have
rendered more than their share OF
services to the state and they should
not interfere.
Purely Locally Question
1.-The question of immigration has
so far been a purely local and eco
nomic one, but now that the United
States, as l understand, is going to
assert for an open door and equal OPP
portunity in China and Siberia, Japan
should urge for an open door and
equal opportunity in the territories of
the powers who are attending the con-
ference. At the same time we should
declare a policy of open door and
equal opportunity in Japan proper,
Formosa, Korea and M%anchuria. Let
America and Great Britain open their
doors to the Japanese and the Chi
nese and give them equal opportuni-
ties. America surely is not going to
attempt to impose her will on Japan
and China while she keeps her w
door closed to Asiatics.
Regarding the proposed limitation
of ornaments, it will be a question
fraught with all sorts of difficulties,
but if the powers are determined to
solve it, it will be done. Japan should
of her own accord. reduce her army by
six divisions, making it consist on
peace footing of Is divisions or about
1870, 900 men all told. We should then
propose at the conference that the
comparative strength of the navies
of Japan, the United States and Bri,
tain be fixed at the ratio of 8, 8 and
10. All ships over and above this
ratio should be scrapped. A commits,
sion of experts should be appointed
by the three countries to decide the
fighting powers of ships of different
ages and kinds. 1t should further be
agreed that in the future no ships
above the dreadnaught class should be
built. The aviation forces of the
l-I h. " h.