BERLIN TO TOKIO.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 March 1918, Page 7

BERLIN TO TOKIO.

GERMANY’S NEW DREAM.

LONDON, February 27

The Munich Ncuesto Nachrichton discloses the fact that Germany V hitcst political catchword is “Berlin to Tokio. ” The paper points out that the Prussian promoters of this brilliant idea must organise Russia before they will be able to realise the scheme, which also involves more effective

support than Germany’s allies are likely to afford. After the war Japan, who has done good businss out of the war, will not bo likely to abandon the present ‘■profitable tactics. “Berlin to Tokio,” the paper adds, is only a poor substitute for a world policy and freedom of the seas, which is Ger-

many’s true destiny. Commenting on the Berlin to Tokio scheme, the London Times points out that itts aim is to tie Japan to the wheels of ’the HoheAzollern chariot

and embroil her with America and the Western allies in order to deal with her at as Germany wanted to deal with her when she tore up the treaty of Shimonoseki and urged the Tsar, in 1904, to make war on Japan. The collapse of Russia may, in the German opinion, furnish an opportunity to revive this pet scheme; but German diplomacy ignores Japanese loyalty and enlightened self-interest. The Russian situation has not taken the Japanese Government by surprise. The possibility of a separate peace by Imperial Russia more than a year ago caused Japan to ponder over her possible action in the event of Russia proving to be false to her pledgso. “Unless we are gravely mistaken,” continues the article, “the present

situation will appeal to Japanese statesmen as urgently as did the earlier contingency, Japan may bo trusted to the position without flinching. The moment cn.ay bo at hand for the allies to lend moral support to any action she may feel bound to under-

take for the protection of her and their interests. Though Asia is only one aspect of the war, it is daily becoming more prominent and more grave. Should Japan, after consulting the allies, take steps on her own account, and as an allied mandatory forestall the German plans, wo believe she would enjoy implicit trust and the hearty goodwill of those understanding the immensity of the allied interests. : ’