Evening star., 1923-09-09
Disaster Gave America the Opportunity
To Show 1t Still Is Friend to Japan

of a population growing far too fast in
numbers to have room for its develop
ment in the already inadequate area
of the islands subject to the rule of the
mikado. has always been regarded as a
menace by Australia and BY the west
ern states of America, and popular SEN
timent there has forced their respective
governments to adopt restrictive and
defensive measures, manifeStly, though
not officially. directed against Japan
which has led to much bitterness among
her people and to general misunder-
standing and popular friction. They
were given to comprehend very plainly
that they were not welcome either in
Australia or in the western states OF
America, where it was feared that with
their industry, thrift and amazing
fecundity of birth they would end by be-
coming the dominant economic and po-
litical factors, capable as such Of sway
ing the domestic and foreign policies OF
the United States government to their
will 1t is no exaggeration to state that,
in Australia and in western America
Japanese aggression and even invasion
have in the past been regarded as a
standing menace. while popular Senti-
ment in Japan has been at times SO in
famed against the United States and
the British antipode as to render the
task of keeping it under control one OF
the great and anxious difficulties of the
government of the day at Toxic. There
was always peril lest this popular re-
SENTIMENT in Japan should get beyond
the control of the government. Lord
Kitchener. on his way home from six
months stay in Japan in 1910. conf1ded
i, to me. as an old friend Of Cairo days
that he regarded this as OF the
danger points of the, United States, with
upon to deal.
K X 4
Yet it was not always SO.
Near half a century ago when, thanks
to the ever kindly personal interest OF
the then Prince of Wales, afterwards
Edward VII, 1 was nominated for serv-
ice at the ministry of foreign affairs a,
Toxic as the only European member OF
it's, staff (when 1 arrived in Japan in
1874 both q British and q French regi-
merlt of marines and a battery Of artil-
lery were permanently encamped at one
end Of the Bund Of Yokahama, almost
under the windows Of the Grand Hotel
America was. far and away, the favorite
foreign nation In the eyes Of the people
It appeared to them that the United
States was the only foreign power
whose friendship was entirely disinter-
ested and that sought no SELFISH advan-
~
was this the case that before had been
very long in Japan, American officers OF
the Army and Navy, American pro-
fessors, American Treasury officials
were being brought into the service OF
the emperor on a perfectly wholesale
scale. The Americans, indeed, enjoyed
q degree Of confidence and Of favor su-
perior to that Of any nationality, and
this mutual good will and sympathy wa
further enhanced when the late mikado
sent, In 1875, . special embassy under
the late Field Marshal Count Saigo ia
represent him at the celebration Of the
centenary Of the Independence of the
United States. an embassy Of which
was the only foreign member with the
rank. despite my youth, Of imperial
commissioner.
This marked prediction Of the Japa-
nese for everything American and which
led to so many Of the men who now
occupy high positions in the state. being
sent, to American universities and col
leses for the completion Of their edu.
cation, continued without Interruption
until Japan's war with China, wheH
public sentiment was aroused against
her by terribly lurid and extravagantl5
colored accounts Of the fighting for the
possession Of Port Arthur and the a.
iexed massacre Of the Chinese garrison
It II undeniable that popular feeling en-.
rendered by these fantastic stories In.
1uenced the United States government
IN such q way N to lend ftoeR to th<
movement. on the part OF the, grea'