The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1914. ENTER JAPAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 75, 18 August 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1914. ENTER JAPAN.

These are stirring times, and proclamations and ultimatums are the order of the day. Hence 110 one will be surprised to learn that Japan has ordered Germany to quit Kaio-chao, its Chinese possession, before September 15, giving it till the 23rd inst. (next Sunday) •to make up its mind. Japan politely informs Germany that "it is important and necessary to remove causes of the disturbance of the peace in the Far East and to safeguard the general interests under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance." Accordingly Japan advises Germany to withdraw her, warships of all kinds from Ghino-Japancse waters, and to disarm those? that she is unable to withdraw; and, secondly, to deliver to Japan unconditionally her entire territory at Kaio-chao for eventual restoration to China. This is a direct ultimatum and one which it is pretty certain Germany, hard put to it as She is at every corner, is hardly likely to comply with. Germany is as haughty as she is arrogant and overbearing, and will not surrender her' position in the East without a fight. Things are none too favorable for lier in any quarter just now. By her "mailed fist" policy she lias succeeded beyond imagination in antagonising nearly every nation that matters throughout the world. Sljc has but the one friend, Austria-Hungary, and whether she can be relied upon for any appreciable help in a time of great emergency like the present remains to 'be seen. Italy, the other member of the Alliance, has been alternately coaxed and bullied to throw in her lot with her allies, but tile indications are that Italy will, when the time arrives, be found on the side of the big battalions. Italy is unlikely to commit national suicide and share the fate that inevitab'y awaits Germany and Austria. TheS3 colossal bluffers have been inviting trouble during these last ten years, and they have found it in a measure greater than they could ever have anticipated. As for the East, Japan will have no difficulty in pushing the Germans out of the territory they obtained in 1597. Kiao-chao is strongly fortified, tat to a i nation that could reduce Port Arthur, Kaio-chao can offer no effective resistance. Its chief value to Germany is as a coaling station. The protectorate is about 200 square miles in. extent, but there is a neutral zone, with a population of 1,200,000, surrounding the district and bay. Time brings many changes. After the Chino-Jap war, Germany and Russia prevented Japan from gaining any appreciable territorial gains. Japan then, was weak and without friends. She had reluctantly to submit to the demands of these Powers, who proceeded to help themselves to Chinese territory, finding convenient pretexts for so doing. Japan looked on helplessly; siie could do nothing—just then. Bu6 she commented to prepare for "the day." She built- up a fine army and a strong navy. She entered into an alliance with Britain. When quite ready, she threw down the gauntlet to Russia. We know the result. The Russians were pushed back well into 'Manchuria. Japan obtained the Liaotang Peninsula and Korea. Xow. "the day" has come for her to deal with Germany, if the latter fails to observe the notice to quit. The Japs do not forget an insult or a wrong. The German vessels in Eastern waters are incapable of putting up a successful fight against" her powerful rival. The Germans will be bundled, bag and baggage, out of Eastern waters. It is interesting at this juncture to recall the -circumstances leading to Germany'.-) entrance in Eastern waters. Two German iiibsionaries had been murdered in Shan-, tnng, a Chinese, province. Demands' were made by Germany for the payment of a money indemnity, the degrading ot the Governor, and for the grant of Kiaochao to Germany as a coaling station. Tiie demand was conceded by helpless C'iiina. Just afterwards, Prince Henry left Kiel with a naval squadron and a. strong force to hold Kaio-chao. It was at the farewell banquet to the squadron that the Kaiser made rise of his famous expression of meeting any meddling with "the mailed fist." Prince Henry, who was in command, declared that it was his aim "to declare in foreign lands the gosped of your Majesty's hallowed person." The "mailed list" policy, however, has had entirely different consequences from those anticipated :by the ambitiously intoxicated Kaiser. H has isolated his nation, it has imperilled tle> very existence of his Empire, it may overthrow the dynasty of the Hohenzolrerns, and, what is much more serious, i* has plunged the world into a welter of blood the like of which has never been known. It is a huge and ghastly consequence of one man's insatiable ambition, inordinate conceit and 'perverted ideas. ;So far as the Ear East is concerned. Britain does not need the assistance of her Japanese allies. Her forces are quite competent to deal effectively with those of Germany. We aiv ■told by cable that already British warships have cornered the German squadron, and that coastal shipping, wliici lias hen harboring, has resumed trading. This probably means that the British vi ssels have succeeded in getting t'.i" German warships into their Kaio-oirui corner, and are keeping them there, bottliuj; them up as they are doing with the Heels in tl„. Baltic, Kiel and Wilhelmsliut'eu. liritain might in this instance wi.-h to he saved from her friends, the Jap-. Once Japan enters the lists, -die will be free to take a hand in annexing the colonial possessions of Germany. Tliere are in the Pacific belonging to Germany Samoa, the .Solomons. German i X.w Guinea, besides other smaller -s----lands. Then there are the Caroline Ts- ' lands. German East Africa and othar laces, which would 'be better in the

possession of Britain or France than of Japan, with all due respect to our allies. Wo must look "to tSie future, and friendly as we are now with Japan, the day may come when our fight to exclude, its people from a place in the sun, so far as Australasia, South Africa are and Canada are concerned, may De put to the tost. Japan, as wo have said before, never forgets.