WAR CLOUDS ABOUT TO BURST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 250, 1 March 1911, Page 8

WAR CLOUDS ABOUT TO BURST

AMERICA AND JAPAN. HOSTILITIES PROPHESIED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. Auckland, February 27. "War will break out between the United States and Japan within the next twelve months," was, according to the cable news, a prediction made at Washington by Congressman Hobson (the hero of the sinking of the Merrimac at Santiago when the Americans bottled up the Spanish fleet). With this opinion concurs Mr. C. E. Russell, a distinguished American visitor at present staying at the (Jrand Hotel, Auckland. Mr. Russell is one of the leaders of the Radical movement inHhe United States, and was a candidate at the last election for the New York city Mayoralty. .Speaking to a Star representative this morning, Mr. Russell said that Congressman Hobson, an oflicer of the United .States Navy, who played a prominent part in the American-Spanish war* had five years ago foretold that before the end of 1911 there would be an outbreak of hostilities between America and Japan. The position between the two countries, Mr. Russell points out, was never more critical than at the present time! "I have never known a time when the indications for war were more omi« nous \than they arc now," he said, and proceeded to explain the reason why. THE REAL DANGER. "It is not so much Japan's desire for more territory," he said, "although that is something of a factor. The real danger lies in Japan's rapid growth as a producing country. It is becoming a formidable competitor with America in many lines. For instance it has with remarkable rapidity developed a great iron and steel business. I believe that Japan, if it got the chance, could lay down steel rails on the Pacific coast of America for far less than the American Steel Trust would do it. Also in building great steamships they are ever outrivalling the United States. It is Japan's evident intention to dominate the Pacific. America also has ideas in that direction. Japan has already defied the American Tobacco Trust and driven it out of Japan and Korea, and largely out of China. The Tobacco Trust had invested millions of dollars in building up that trade, but Japan has ousted it absolutely. Then the little yellow men have hit the Standard Oil Trust very hard by developing their own oil industry. Even the American Railroad Trust 'has suffered because a big trade in flour was being developed with the East, and the grain was carried two-thirds of the way across the Continent and then transhipped. Now Japan has the grain trade in its own hands. In every move of the game commercially in the East, Japan holds the winning hand, and the American trusts, which have very large interests at stake, are being outwitted." IN A POWDER-HOUSE.

"We have at all times on the Pacific Coast what might be called a powderhouse condition of affairs," continued Mr. Russell. "All along the coast there is a very bitter feeling against the Japs, and the new treaty with Japan, which has just been ratified by Senate, will only tend to precipitate a climax, for on the Pacific Slope the situation is now tense. It only wants an anti-Japanese riot to lead up to a declaration of war. Still another reason why the trusts may force hostilities is that the great ethical movement is now so strong in America that only such a calamitous thing as* a , war can stop its progress. Plunge the two countries into a great struggle, however, and the movement receives an inv mediate and terrible set-back. We are not a warlike nation, and we are not ready for war, but the situation is critical, and I think the war clouds are about to burst. America would win eventually, but victory would be about as disastrous as defeat, for it would be a terribly costly war. It is my opinion, having recently visited Japan, and having just left America, that Congressman Hobson's warning may be taken as distinctly ominous."