The Washington times., 1921-11-20

general in the Pacific. and the
United States of America in par
ticular-conditions which have rem
dered the disarmament conference
a caucus. holding in it's hands the
future peace and happiness Of the
world-I purpose prefacing such
discussion with the broad general
statement that the conditions re-
ferred to are but imperfectly under
stood by a vast majority of the citi-
xens of our country. Therefore. 1t
shall be my purpose, in my first
article. to sketch briefly the rela-
lions of our country with the jap
anese Empire.
UP until 1853, when Commodore
Perry opened the ports Of japan to
world commerce. Japan had pur-
sued policy Of absolute isolation.
The disadvantage of her mistaken
policy Of isolation were not long in
becoming apparent to the Japanese
under the new regime. and graft
tude superseded any resentment
they might have felt. Indeed, until
1898, 1t is probable that Japan
counted the United States her best
friend in the sisterhood of nations.
PACIFIC PROBLEMS STARTED.
1t is worthy of remark here that
until the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands in 1898. the United States
had evinced no disposition to extend
her sovereignty beyond her Pacific
coast line. With the defeat and
surrender Of the Spanish army at
Manila in the following month jap
anese statesmen and publicists fore
saw quite clearly the loss Of the
Philippines to Spain. and the situa-
ton was vaguely disturbing when
contemplating it's effect on the fu-
ture Of the balance of power in the
Pacific.
The Colossus of the West" had
suddenly advanced her outposts two
thousand miles into the Pacific; a
month later she had advanced them
to within six hundred and thirty
nautical miles of the mainland of
Asia! Guam, too. had fallen to
her arms.
With tho exception of a handful
Of suppressed strategists in the
Amy and Navy war colleges, few
people in the United States knew
where Guam lay. 1t was regarded
as an unimportant little island
where interesting natives lived a life
Of idyllic ease. Indeed. until COM
paratively recent date. I daresay
the vast majority Of our citizens
had forgotten that we owned Guam.
HAWAII JAPANIZED.
But the Japanese do not forget.
Their spirit Of nationalism is too in
tense to permit them to forget the
presence Of anything which might.
even remotely. prove inimical to
their welfare. AS far back. there
fore. as 1898. the Japanese press
(which 10 governmentally inspired
and controlled as is the press of no
other country on earth) voiced active
complaint Of the aggression" Of the
United States.
Tho Japanese press. for reasons
best known to itself. resented our
expansion in the Pacific. Our own
interest In our new island posses
sions was negligible at tho time-in
fact. II II stilli Witness tho fact
that tho Philippines still constitute
for us . lnotty problem-and We
hsvs permitted the Hawaiian Islands
10 become Japanised to tho extent of
Some % per cent! e.
Howsver. Gincs we had no designs
On the trade or territory Of Japan,
and regarded her ~ our friend; and
further. because Of the negligible in
tsrest which We have. until tho
great war. manifested in world poll
tics. these small rumblings Of dis
content made no impression on our
people-if indeed our people heard
them at all. Those who did hear
them charged them to rabid JAP
aness tingoists.
Right hero II might be well to stay
. popular fallacy in this country.
There are no jingoists in the jap
anese Hs0. Freedom Of the press
as we know It In this country. ex-
lists not IN Japan. the government
Of wh3uh y autocratio in the ex-
treme. When a japanese newspaper
offends government 1t ceases, over
night. 10 exist.
WAR NOTE PERMITTED.
No violent outcry against us, no
inflammatory articles; no clamor for
war. Is supposed even in those Jap
anese publications which are the
known organs of government.
Under the tutelage Of tho "elder
statesmen" Of Japan, who override
Mt will the Imperial Diet, II IL safe
to assume that there exists In Japan
today q wcll-planned and govern
mentally inspired campaign of propa-