JAPAN AND AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 91, 10 January 1918, Page 9

JAPAN AND AMERICA

A GERMAN PREDICTION

ENEMY'S FAILURE TO MAKE BAD iijLOOi)

Viscount Chinda, Japanese Ambassador, "'hen entertained to lunch at the Savoy Hotel, London, recently, by tho American Luncheon Ulub, spoke ol the utterly futile efforts of Germany both before and during tho war to create animosity between his country and the United States of America. "I appreciate the privilege extended to me," said Viscount Chinda, "and I beg to use it as my first opportunity for addressing to you my tribute of admiration for that great step taken by your State to participate in this greatest, and let ns hope last, war ot the world. (Cheers.) How powerfully and favourably that momentous event is affecting the general war situation, and will continue increasingly to do so, is a matter of supreme interest to every ono of us. I do not consider myself a proper person to offer observations in regard to that particular question, or on the war situation. M) remarks may be confined to the effect produced by your.entry into the war upon the relations existing between Japan and the United Slates. (Cheers.) In this respect I havo no hesitancy in saying that this most momentous event was received in Japan with profound feelings of appreciation and enthusiasm by the whole nation. (Cheers.) It .has confirmed more strongly than over before their conviction of the justness of the cause and of the certainty of tho victory.

Germany's Falsified Prediction. "Nearly seven years ago, while I was in Berlin, one day 1 was informed confidentially by a well-known American publicist," said viscount Chinda, "that a certain celebrated German professor of international fame—whose' name I keep secret—had told him, with all his professional pride and responsibility, that the next <reat ovent in the history of mankind would be the war between tho United States and Japan. (Laughter.) I did not ascertain from what genesis this German professor succeeded in drawing the conclusion for such an extraordinary statement; but on tho wholo horizon of the diplomatic arrangements then existing between Japan <i:id America I could not discern a single sign that could be said to support such an extraordinary view. (Cheers.) True, there was a controversy between us about tho question of emigration to San Francisco, but that bad been settled by general agreoment. I was then, as I am now, one of those who are firmly convinced' that between. «wo States so circumstanced with regard to each other as Japan and the United States are difficulties of this kind can be composed ultimately and amicably through the diplomatic channels, without injuring the relations of. the two countrmH. (Cheers.) "This , pronouncement of the Goiv mau impressed me merely as a preposterous idea, which might well have been dismissed entirely from the

memory, had it not been for this fact, that it was by no means an isolated case, but only one of many similar ■instances which came to my hearing during my, stay in Germany. Tho questions which suggested themselves naturally to my mind were these: Are- lheso official warnings, really honest expressions of disinterested opinions,- or do they licit rather betray the presenco of a secret wish which is father to the thought? I submit that for thoso of ns who havo

been shocked by the recent disclosures made by American vigilance, bearing on tho unscrupulous nature of Prussian diplomacy, it will not bo difficult to find proper answers to these queries. (Hear, hear.)

Enemy's Malevolent Activities. "For.my part, 1 fully, believe that. there has ever been a wish on tho part of Germany to create and cause bad blood between us two. (Hear, hear.) German activities along these lines havo become moro evidont since tho outbreak of the war. The Gorman

Ambassador when be first landed in Now York gave an interview to the Press, in which' he made it a special point to declare that ifc was his strong conviction that the American public would never sympathise with the causa iu which the Japanese had taken a side. That is one of the keynotes given to' the war propaganda of Gormany in America. The object is evident y to cultivate and exploit to the full tho prejudice which was supposed to exist iu'ainst the Japanese amongst certain sections of the American people. \Ve were represented as harbouring dart, sinister designs upon the United States, or as having entered into a secret treaty with your, southern i.cighbours, and' of course, all insinuations .-■nd misrepresentations have been thrown broadcast by the German propaganda for the purpose of causing estrangement between us. . . "I dwell upon these German activities for the purpose of forewarning you acainst their recurrence in the futuie. Even to-day I am fully porsuadedtha, they are perfectly ready to resort to Ssame methods, if-they co«l<only get the chance. As a matter ol tact, J received a report as recently as last week to tho effect that in some places on the European Continent there has bee. a rumour in circulation amongst Sin circles that there exists a ~in«r secret treaty between Japan and entanglement of the presen> Alliance WiSm £ *.«*« «f Tutonk. Mental".. but ot knaves. (Lai ghtu. »r, m<l on. oraM JJ * «»• were ■ simply to atta«.fc an d time, to the characU »' na as a most 'llummatrag comm tttat^_____