The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1920. AMERICA AND JAPAN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3484, 12 May 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1920. AMERICA AND JAPAN.

Witlrwhich is incorporated “The Taihape Post and Waimarino News." .

The present situation of Japan in lthe comity of nations has become a matter of direct interest to the peoI ple of this Dominion. The question now is, shall the treaty hitherto existing between Brita.in and Japan be renewed? New Zealand has reached its majority as one of the countries comprising the British Empire, and whiie Britain alone entered into the original treaty arrangements, those arrangements, or some modification of them, ‘are not ‘to be renewed‘ without allowing the three great Dominions of the Empire interested, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, some Voice therein. The one nation above all others opposed to any form of League between Japan and Britain is the United States, and it is not. improbable that much of the bitterness displayed‘ against Britain in America is -owing to ‘the disposition of Britain to give; new life to the old understanding. The 1 great war just concluded has given.‘ I both‘ the United "States and Japan 3.‘ Ifinaneial position neither ever previ-I [ously held. It need not be said that

' all American acts since the commencement of the war have ‘contributed to the attainment of an overwhelming ‘ superior financial position.- That super}iorit_\' has been attained, but Americans are ehagrinedand disappointed I that Japan has also emerged from the ‘ Jworldwvide ordeal a rich and potent jfirst-rate Power. Americans are. giv-I‘ ing an enigmatical in.terpretat.ioli to: ‘their much-cherislied Monro Doctrine;l they are developing‘ a foreign policy I which entitles them to take active‘ part in European and Asiatic territorl ial problems, while trying to maintain a. doctrine of hands and eyes ofl America, even to the extent of opposing a {League of Nations for the prevention L} and suppressionhof war. Japan has no! doubts about why America has turned her back on ‘fl;e"Le‘ague of "Nations. iproposal; Japan sees a‘largc American Navy assuming huge proportions, and a militziry system expanding immeasurably beyondnceds for protection of %tho Monroe ‘Doctrine. Japan is not‘ deceived about American intentions; it i

is quite apparent. that America has designs, detrifnental to Japanese interests, on territory just acrossathe Yelllow Sea, and Japan is hurriedly and I adequately preparing for ‘the evil day. ‘There is, in the opinion of leading naval experts, a second “Der Tag” ‘imminent, and who will deny that the party which refuses “to establish a basis for making’ war extremely diffigeult, if not impossible, is the chief offender? A copious flow of informa‘rion ‘from America along Pacific cables proclaims what is being done in the way of naval construction, and military organisation, based upon experience gained in the late War, but that experience is not peculiar to Americans. Japan is not without similar experience, nor are the Japanese failing to keep pace with What ‘is taking place navally and militarily in the far western Pacific. America is the one outstanding‘ mmonent of a league to sun-

press human warfare, ‘therefore the one assumption is that warlike intentions are the only explanation. It is obvious that America is opposed to any form of treaty being maintained between Britain and Japan, but Britain is under no obligation to give undue consideration to American wishes and interests in that connection, for has it not been admitted that Admiral Benson told Admiral Sims that “America. would as soon fight Britain as Germany ” And has not the Secretary of the American Navy applauded that statement, and denounced Admiral Sims as being pro-British? Have not other members of’ the United States Administration praised Benson ’s unfriendly, if not insuiting. references to Britain, and declared the achievements of their own navy to have compelled world-wide marvel‘? As all this took place hefore America entered the war. it may be taken as fact that Americans did not enter the struggle out of’ any consideration for the perpetuation of the Anglo-Saxon race, nor on account of any desire that Britain 'shonld emerge victorious. nor for the supremacy of human ideals and rights of all nations and peoples to self-de‘tel-mination, Americans cannot harmonise their ad. herenee t 0 long-boasted Monroe Doctrine with the long strides they are

taking into ‘the world-wide political arena". It is not correct to assulnc‘ that the United States fears any attack ‘from Japan; when war is precipitated it will be from gradual insinuations by ‘America against Japan, through China. llinowing what, the An'reriean feeling Towards Britain is, how will British (interests inthe Far East be safegguardedil If it were an attack on Am- ! erica, contemplated by Japan the great British Dominion of Canada would undoubtedly "take sides with their neighbour. There are, however, no signs 1 that Canada is opposed to 21. renewal Of the Anglo-Japanese treaty, fol' 3» 11195‘ sage received from the United St?-$93 yesterday advises that the ‘Treaty will be renewed, but before renewal, Canada, Australia, and New Zealandj are to be consulted. It is indeed alt-l mo-st impossible to suppress the thought 1 that the United States is endeavouring to manoeuvre a way to that World‘ supremacy that German militarists ‘failed to attain. From the present! viewpoint there is really nothing to! indieate that American nlilitarisls,§ German militarists, or any other nlili—tarists can succeed in a war against.’ the world, and only an erroneous, illogical, narrowed -scheme of ~:reasoning, such asghat. followed by German” militarists can, it seems, he responlsible for a second attempt. Americansl had :1. i‘asl.e of war at a time when the enemy’s strength was exhausted -orithtliree very strenuous and costly! years of fighting, and their comparatively easy success seems to have wetted "the national appetite for more war, ' and it is partly because a renewal of the A nglo-Japanese treaty will act as a break upon any movement against Japan that hatred of Britain is in-creasiigi-?rlg. It is not unreasonable to assume that America would respect ‘British interests in China any more than those of Japan, and in such a case t}'.e treaty should prove a valuable preventative to another holocaust in which human life would be the chief object of destruction. The United States has turned its ba’ék upon the evolved means for making War dithcult, therefore it is not without. good reason that Britain should use‘ a treaty_Witll Japan as a. means of making war ditficult in the Far East. ,