The Washington herald., 1921-02-21

pei Japan to sue for peace on any
terms. Yet the result of the Ports
mouth meeting was a peace which,
though apparently not as favorable
as Japan had expected in view of
her victories, was nevertheless an
amazing diplomatic victory when
one remembers that Count Witte
knew for a certainty that Russia
needed only to avoid peace-making
TO bring Japan on her knees.
Japan Proud OF Statesmen.
Today Japan is once again prov
ing herself past master in the art
OF fooling rival powers. This time
her victim is America. She has
apparently succeeded in convincing
the United States that she intends
attacking them in the near future
and that great nation has been
friE htened into spending millions
for armaments for the express pur-
pose of defending herself against
japanese onslaughts backed. per-
haps, by Great Britain,
Japan has good reason to be
proud of her statesmen.
To suit her own ends she has
forced the weaIthiest nation on
earth into state of nervous appre-
hension, and. having done so, Is
busy making use of the fact to nave
the way for her real goal-the con-
quest OF the Pacific. and particu-
larly Australia
L have seen a good deal Of the
japanese and have lived in close
contact with naval, military and
political men who have made a life
study OF the problem, and | have
no hesitation in saying that as a
frst step in the attainment of her
ambitions Japan has marked down
Australia as her first victim.
Australia Natural Outlet.
Australia, with an area as great
as the United States and a popula-
tion under 6.O0O.o 900 is the natural
outlet for Japanese expansion.
Being very poorly fcrtified and
possessing such vast areas of fer
tile land. it is estimated that this
thlnly populated territory near Jap
an alone could absorb 10000, 900
people. Surely it would be an in
suit to their intelligence to think
that the Japanese are meditating a
trial OF strength with the might and
wealth of the United States while
such country as Australia is open
to invasion. For her there is a coun :
try only few days steam to the
south. poorly equipped with de-
lenses, depending for protection on
navy whose bases are 1900 miles
away. and whose sunny lands con :
tlnually hold out q promise of
wealth and prosperity for millions
Of Japanese subjects. to say nothing
of the nation itself.
There is not a shadow of doubt
but that Australia is the real Japan
ese objective. In view of this il
may be asked what is the Japanese
motive in deliberately encouraging
the belief that she is meditating
war on the United States.
Nation Needs Excuse.
Japan must have some excuse for
continuing to build a navy out of
all proportion to her defensive
needs. Moreover, IL we assume
that the object Is the conquest of
Australia she must find an excuse
which does not alarm England.
She thinks she has found that ex-
cuse in threatening the United
states. Keeping up the supposition
that she is merely keeping pace
with the American naval program
she is creating a navy which is al
ready a menace to Pacific Ocean
nations
Since her policy of concealment
she is playing a came of bluff. She
is deliberately fostering the idea
that she is hand in glove with
England and that even in the event
OF war between Nippon ana
America. Japan and England would
be allies.
Must widen Gulf.
To this suggestion British states
men have given a sincere and en-
phatfc denial, but II has served the
purpose of creating a bad feeling
between England and America,
which. added 20 that already exist
ing because of the Irish question, Is
slowly causing the two nations TO
drift apart.
The maintenance of the widening
gulf is an essential part of the
Japanese plan. for in the event of
an attack on Australia it is i'm
perative that America will not Join
with Great Britain. and II, when
the time comes. Japan studiously
avoids conflict with American in
terests. she trusts the enmity be-
tween the United States and Eng
land will have reached such n pitch
that all chance of England being
supported by America will have
vanished.
Suoh. briefly, is the Japanese
plan. and, judging from the pub
lished statements and the trend of
public opinion in America, who can
say that il has not admirably sue
caada5 tb,,e