The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-22
-ASia'S COCkpit-No. 2
JAPAN COvETS
EMPIRE OPENED
BY RUSS PIRATE
ASIa'S Romance as CoIorfuI
as Pioneer Conquest of
Western u. S.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SDTMS,
ScripDs- Howard Foreign Editor

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
scripDs-Howard Foreign Editor
Behind Japan's wars of expansion
in Asia is a romance as colorfu as
our own covered wagon trek across
the western plains to the Pacific.
Up to 400 years ago, the Urals
were to Russia what the Appala-
chan range was to the American
colonies. Beyond them was wilder
ness. And beyond that was the land
OF the Mongols, to whom Moscow's
grand dukes paid homage Farther
on yet was Kitai, the Muscoyite
name for China.
One day big Russian pirate
named Yermak, upon whose head
was a price, led band of adven-
turers across the Urals looking for
fur. He was grubStaked by a Mos
COW merchant, who asked few ques-
tons.
Yermak had grand time. He
fought and explored and pillaged.
He opened up a vast territory.
Among other places he captured a
Mongol capital, called Sibir, and
named the region after it. Thus
was born Siberia.
Japan ROuts China
Later on, just as more followed
the first trail-blazers in America,
other Russians pushed eastward
until they reached the Pacific,
claiming the country as they went.
In time they grabbed off such of
China's possessions as lay north of
the Amur river and began to reach
southwark into Manchuria.
Japan, emerging from her CEN
turtles of national isolation, became
alarmed Korea was "a pistol at
her head" and if Russia ever took
over the pistol and pulled the
trigger, Japan would be blown off
the map. Korea, weak and chaotic,
would be easy prey for the power
full people approaching from the
north.
Such was the situation around
1895. Japan decided to act. On the
pretext that China was sending
troops into Korea-then in revolt
in violation of an agreement not to
do so, Japan went to war with
China and defeated her in short
order.
Blocked by Powers
If Japan had hoped to get Korea
as part Of the spoils of this war,
she was mistaken sadly. Led by
Russia, who had designs of her own,
the great European powers blocked
Japan at every turn and forced her
to be satisfied with the little island
of Formosa and a cash indemnity.
Russia, Germany. France, and
Britain were biting off large chunks
of China for themselves, but for
Japan the territorial cupboard Of
Old Mother Hubbard was most de-
cidedly bare
To make the situation all the
more aggravating, Korea, which had
been declared an independent king
dom following the war, fell more
and more under the influence of
Russia. She was given ali sorts Of
concessions-for railways, mining,
timber, ports, and even the right to
fortify.
Japan complained bitterly, but got
nowhere. At the same time China,
too, was most complacent, according
to the Japanese, giving concessions
to the Russians all over Manchuria
railways, mines, a great naval
base and fortress at Port Arthur,
and so on.
Russia Beaten in War
Again Toxic complained, this
time at Pieping and st. Petersburg.
But at the Chinese capital the rot
ting Manchu dynasty was totter-
ing and the car couldn't be both
cred.
In 1904 Japan declared war
against Russia, then regarded as the
strongest military power on earth.
And, somewhat to the amazement
of the world, Japan won. She sank
the Russian fleets, besieged and
captured Port Arthur and beat to
his knees the bear that walks like
a man"
President Roosevelt brought the
two countries together at Ports
mouth, ~ H., for a treaty of peace.
Russia was ousted from Korea,
south Manchuria, the southern half
of Saghalien island and from the
railway and other concessions that
went with them.