The Washington herald., 1921-05-29
FAMOUS GERMAN
CRITIC DECLARES
U. S. IMPERILLED
Count Zu Reventlow Tells
Of Relations with Japan
And England.
BY COUNT ERNST ZU REvENT.
Low.

BY COUNT ERNST ZU REyENT-
Low.
The position OF the United States
resembles in some respects that Of
Germany before the great war. The
resemblance consists in the fact that
the United States foreign trade and
merchant marine have become the
principal competitors OF Englsnd's.
Every one now realizes that il is
necessary fer the United States TO
protect that foreign trade and mer-
chant marine against any attack or
injury. The United States feet must
be so strong that even its mightiest
opponent or two opponents will be
afraid to attack IL.
More briefly expressed: The United
States wants a powerful navy. but
only to maintain peace for them
selves and for the world.
Since the days of Queen Elizabeth
Great Britain has always regarded
as her natural enemy and has
marked for destruction any Euro
pean power that menaced the SUI
premacy of her merchant marine
and export trade. Successful ri--
airy of England was always sum
cient cause for war. In the name OF
humanity, OF religion. of civilization
and Of the sanctity Of treaties. Spain,
Holland. France, Russia and Ger
many were each in turn overthrow
by a coalition organized by Great
Britain.
The British champion Of hums nifty
then stripped the defeated one OF
everything that he could make use
of-colonies. navy, merchant marine.
money and. above everything else.
power. Germany has Jared worst Of
all because its growth had been
more rapid. formidable and threat
ening to England's foreign trade.
United state. as Rival.
The United States now finds itself
with q merchant marine and a for
eign trade OF enormous proportions.
II cannot continue to develop these
without imperilling England's. And
II is building fleet for its protec-
tion.
A blockade Of her ports and a
starving of the United States would
be impossible. The country is pro-
vided with all the necessary re-
sources not only to sustain industry
and feed its people but il could
carry on a war indefinitely IL neces-
sary. That is its safety. 1t has no
great military powers as neighbors
Not only has It plenty Of money. but
has become the leading money
lender OF the world.
Great Britain has one advantage.
The United States faces an insuIar
and maritime power of great viror
and limitless ambition on the Pacinc
possessing q formidable army and
navy. This power-Jspan-isE Eng
lands ally.
Ambition Of Jspnn.
1t is not necessary 10 dilate upon
the opposing interests and contro-
versial questions between japan and
America. They are familiar to every
American. Twelve years ago a book
was published in New York entitled
The Valor OF Ignorance" Its au-
thor was Homer Lea. and Gen. A r.
Chahee wrote the introduction. In
this book Homer Lea dealt upon the
japanese peril. with special empha-
SIS upon the question Of the pre-
paredness of the United States for
SUCH danger. The book contains
this sentence:
whenever a nations attitude TO-
ward war is evasive, its conduct in
decisive and its preparation an in
olnerent. orderless assembling of
forces, II prepares for defeat"
These words are as true TO-DAY
they were then. Possibly they were
spoken too soon. Prophets who
speak too early are not Iist.ned 20
however true they be.
Whoever reads Homer I,aa,s L,ol,
today will find in il a surprising
amount OF clear-sighted Juogn, nI,
although naval warfare in its vsri-
Gus aspects is scarcely touched upon
In IL. The danger OF q Japanese
landing of troops, the unfsvora bl e
strategic location Of the American
railroads, the exposed and defence
less situation Of the Philippines and
the Hawaiian islands, the consider
able japanese population on IN.
western coast and the prepona.r-
ance of japanese in Hawaii. m.
dangers threatening the Panama
canal are today genuine grounds for
concern.
wiise. and Japanese,
japanese statesmen outgeneraIed
the American spokesmen in the
peace conference. The policy OF
Japan was consistently focused
upon the object of bringing under
ner control all the groups of island,
as wen as individual islands OF the
racine ocean. insofar as they were
OF any economic or strategic fmpor-
lance on 'the one side, japanese
imperialism Is extending into Asia.
ana on the other. to control the
strategic points of defense or ofrense
in the Pacific ocean. The means Of