DOES JAPAN WANT WAR?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2134, 7 March 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

DOES JAPAN WANT WAR?

THE REAL DANGER

(Tokio correspondent, “Daily Mail. ) Despite the alarming indulgence m war-talk - and other surmisings suggestive ol belligerency that have been persistently circulated by a certain section oi the Press in jegaril to Japan’s intentions or the 1 acinc, her next war is assuredly still beyond the range of vision, or even foresight. , , And yet one need not be a propliet or the son of a prophet m perceive that Jaoan is on the verge of a greatconflict. Paradoxical as such a statement may appear, it is nevertheless true. There is to be a struggle, though it may not mean the clash or arms anil tho shedding of blood. In the first place, Japan does not want war, and has no intention i.i doing anything that might involve trouble outside -her borders. The fact is, Japan has haul enough of war to last her for a reasonably long and indefinite period. Her governing classes will have no more of it, and without them Japan could put up but a ooor showing in favor of fight. Nothing less than the very gravest ot causes could persuade them to enter upon another conflict with the sword. Tliev have perforce arrived at the conclusion that was is an expensive luxury for poor nation. Tlie Mancliurian victories, so unrivalled in glory and so unprecedented in achievement, arc admittedly too costly an undertaking for more than one generation. There/is not a man of - any common-sense in Japan who has any ambition for a repetition of their atrocities; the thousands of orphans they have created are not yet provided for; the millions ill gold they have buried can never be- resurrected, and creditors arc calling in vain at tlie imperial doors. The last war has laid upon Japan a great burden. No on could contemplate another war for Japan without desiring the nation’s ruin. A CONFLICT OF MONEY, NO I

BLOOD. But the nation is face to face with a gigantic conflict, nevertheless. One evil always breeds others; and the last war 'has left Japan in a state of financial depletion' that only the most tremendous efforts in the way of frugality and thrift can recoup. No ono wlio knows the social conditions of the country at present believes that Japan is going to accomplish this without a pressure upon the masses that will be almost- unendurable. I.u the not very distant future Japan will find herself commuted with a eonllict not of blood, perhaps, but of money; not for conquest, but for existence as a solvent nation; and . the adjustment of her finances will require greater ingenuity than tlie taking of iYlancliurin. Japan’s foreign debt at present is not less than 2,500,000,000 yen. The amount required to meet the annual interest at a high rate on tins enormous indebtedness is fast reducing the population to a condition of extreme poverty. Already the limit of the nation’s taxable capacity has been reached, hut the giant burden has not even begun to move. How long can the poorest people on tlie fac-e of the ea'tfh be expected to endure a per capital tax of 03 yen ? Even now it is easy to notice that a vast social and industrial unrest is permeating t-fie entire fabric of Japanese society; the threat of increased taxation is tightening the strain; ip dozens of instances the cords of restraint have given way, with disastrous results. There has not been a single important line of industry in Japan that during the last twelve months has not known strikes -of the most serious nature, all due to the ultra-financial stringency that could not afford a living wage. STOCKS AND SHARES NEVER | J) AVER. Ln some Instances these social eruptions resulted in wanton and wholesale destruction- of valuable property and ruthless loss of life. Stocks and shares tyere never lower in the Ins- : tory of tile Empire, The phenomenal boom in tlie establishment of commercial companies and new lines of 1 industrial enterprise that marked the opening of 1007 has broken, and many of the einbryo undertakings have already gone into liquidation. Jhe failure of banks is of common occurrence. Tfie Government monopolies and the big corporations under the patronage of the Government ire swallowing up the smaller ventures

nient- to private enterprise. Bub tho difficulty that calls for immediate adjustment is that bearing upon tho increased cost of living which is unjustly oppressing the masses. For this’the Government must bear tho

responsibility. Tho Government is to bl-aino because, although the indebtedness of tho nation is now more than the people can well boar, the authorities are recklessly proceeding with an evorinoroasiiig expenditure of money. Moreover, the exceedingly high tariff on the necessities of life has resulted in an- increased- cost of living in all directions. This has advanced by 20 pur cent, in -tho last five years, -and* without any corresponding increase of wages or salaries. During the last twelve months the price of rico. which is tho poor man's bread, has gone up to double what it was a year ago, and is no whigher than ever before in the history ol Japan. The alarming and sudden increase in the cost of living, combined with tho weight of taxation, leaves the masses justly disaffected towards the Government; yet the latter goes on indifferently lidding to tho nation’s liabilities by raising loans and expanding armaments and indulging in various enterprises that oven wealthy nations would hesitate to afford. That the result of such extravagance can turn out satisfactory is boyond even t-lio most sanguine hopes of tlie best financiers. A NOTE OF WARNING. Among these Japan- can reckon none greater than the names of Baron Shibusawa and Mr So nod a, of tlie Fifteenth Bank. Theso men admit that anxiety for the financial future of Japan is not entirely duo to tho hypercritical faculty of jealous foreigners. Both of them recently have spoken in no ambiguous terms’ of the Government’s unwisdom in- tho present increase of expenditure for the vast naval programme, and warned the authorities as to the results of increasing taxation- Baron Shibusawa said that if Japan went oil with her present expansion of armaments independently of resources, she would be sure to impair her credit abroad and cripple her industrial and commercial expansion at homo. The note of warning conics cither late, however; t-lio failure to raise tho last Japaneso loan seeking flotation in London would seem to justify tho assumption that tho mischief lias been done. It is a matter of wonder to many that Japan should go on presenting tlie world with tlie paradoxical -spectacle of a nation that both naturally and professedly does not want war and cannot afford war, and yetis all the while devoting the greater part of her resources to a preparation for war. Her arsenals and naval yards are busy day anil night turning out the latest equipments in land and sea combat, apaprently for no purpose but the desire to possess a fighting capacity second to none. At the last meeting of the Elder Statesmen and the Tokio Cabinet, ways anil means for a solution of the nation’s financial responsibilities were diocussed. Further taxes on sugar, oil and tobacco were suggested, but •abandoned in view of the present disaffection of the masses, upon whom such taxes would most heavily fall. Finally the Minister.of War was persuaded to consent to a postponement of certain expenditures in his Department with the hope of being able to present tlie Diet, which opened on December 2-5, with a reasonable Bud- ' get. But, this method of evading embarrassment is only a postponement of tlie real difficulty. Unless the nation curbs somewhat its ambition, and calls a halt in the vast outlays involved in i the present programme for tho ex- I pansiou of armaments, it is surely persisting in a course as suicidal ns 1 war.