Detroit evening times., 1945-08-14
THESE
DAYS
George {.
SokoIsky

have moved as far forward
in a short time as Japan.
An isolated, hermit kingdom,
with hardly a contact with the
rest of the world as recently as
1852, Japan by 1917 was one Of
the principal nations Of the
earth, the leader in Asia. the
ally Of the victorS Of World War
!. No country in Asia had so
swiftly captured the sciences of
the west: none had discovered
the uses Of the military, indus
trial, financial and political
power.
OF all the nations in the east
Of Asia, Japan was the only one
that was completely sovereign.
All this was heady wine 10 a
small country of hardly any re-
sources and limited man-power.
II made an already proud peo-
pie over-bearing. vain-glorious
and incapable of an objective
appraisal OF their relative posi-
tion in the world.
Japan. at the end Of World
War l tried TO fill two areas
which were without permanent
governments, Russia and China.
But Russia soon regained her
strength and was able not only
10 push the Japanese out Of
Siberia but by 1925, to attempt
the conquest Of China by revo-
luton.
China never achieved either
unity or power, but by spirit
ual upsurge, by ingenius diplom-
acy and the indomitable person
ality Of Chang Kai-Shek, proved
unconquerable.
Japan tried bribery, chican-
cry, friendliness. racial homo
gently, war Everything failed.
ITO THE United States, Japan
Il was deeply indebted,
II was Commodore Perry who
opened tn at country to the
world.
1t was John Hay who stopped
Russian aggression in Man.
Churia.
1t was Theodore Roosevelt
who saved Japan in the Russo
japanese war and by the Treaty
of Portsmouth
1t was American loans that
built Japan's industry.
1t was American purchases Of
raw silk that stabilized Japans
industry and commerce.
But Japan and the United
States in the second decade OF
this century fell afoul of each
other on the racial issue.
Western states passed legis-
lauon which, in effect. declared
the Japanese to be raclally an
inferior people.
Our immigration laws placed
them in a category which they
regarded as contemptuous.
1t was this more than any
other cause which turned Japan
into the wolf of the Orient.
IN RECENT decades the Japa-
L nese have felt that they were
being hemmed in on all sides
Russia from the north, America
from the west through China,
America from the east. and
Great Britain from the south.
Curiously enough, Japan was
not hemmed in al all.
The markets Of all nations
were open 10 her industries and
the japanese were prosperlng
by the sale of cheaper manu-
featured goods.
AS A matter Of fact, in many
British colonies. particularly in
India and Egypt and IN North
Africa the Japanese were prog
ressing so rapidly that for years
their trade was pressing upon
that of Great Britain.
No statistics. no facts could
Offset the desire for possessions,
for equality with the United
States.
Nothing tangible could replace
the fear of Soviet Russia which
had taken control of Mongolia,
was moving into Turkestan and
would sooner or later, the Japa-
nese were sure, come again into
Manchurla.
IN SEPT. 10, 1881, the Jap
" anese seized the Chinese
three eastern provinces, called
ManChurIa
Since then Japan has been
at war with the world.