The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1921. A DOMINANT YELLOW RACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1921. A DOMINANT YELLOW RACE.

The possibility of a union between China and Japan has been the subject of discussion for many years past, sometimes seriously and at other times as an academical exercise, but always in such a way as to indicate that under favorable conditions a great Eastern Empire might, in course of time, be expected to arise and play a prominent part in the world’s affairs. The tendency to regard such a fusion as being too remote a possibility to cause any concern to other nations has induced a feeling of apathy, yet history has a wonderful way of repeating itself. Where are the Great Powers of the past? They are a mere name in the world’s annals, having been replaced by semi-savage hordes that grew into mighty kingdoms, became dominant by the exercise of might, left the impress of their greatness on the universe, and then followed the fate of their predecessors and the inexorable law of Nature —and so the world goes on. Those who derive comfort and complaisance from the old heathen philosophy of: “Let us eat, drink, and be, merry, for to-morrow we die,” may not be perturbed by the prospect of the creation of a dominant, Far Eastern Power consisting of a combining of the colored races of China and Japan, but the time is rapidly approaching—may even be close at hand—when such a union may materialise, as assuredly will one day be the case, so that it is as well to seriously consider, not whether the fusion is possible or impossible, but how it can best be guided and directed for the welfare of the nations, instead of being a menace to the world’s peace. The New York World’s Tientsin correspondent expresses the belief that events which are now transpiring in China and Japan form part of a plan for the union of those two countries with the object of making the yellow race dominant in the Far East. The reasons advanced for this belief may not be convincing, but some of them are such as may be accepted ,as preliminary steps to prepare the way for the ambitious project which is likely to appeal strongly to the leaders of advanced thought and action in China and Japan. China, as a whole, has a population of well over three hundred and fifty millions, and Japan’s population is approaching sixty millions. For some years past Western education has been rapidly spreading in China, and cannot fail to produce a great change in the people of the near future. Japan’s rise to the status of a Great Power was meteoric, and has been followed by a determined policy of keeping abreast with all that the status implies. Although the religions existing in the two countries may differ, that faet offers no difficulty in the matter of an effective union, especially as ancestor worship is universally practised by both —a factor of great importance. China may be said to have become a Republic from necessity and not by choice, owing to political intrigues. She has been rent asunder by rival factions, and some remedy will have to be found for the chaotic state of affairs which is so detrimentally affecting the progress and development .of the country. The spread of education and Western ideas is bringing home to the Chinese the ignominy of their position as a nation. Japan is smarting under the treatment whereby her people are designated as the Yellow Peril, and the barriers erected against .their settlement, in certain eoun-

tries of the world. To detail the various factors which have an influence on this question of union would take far more space than is available in this issue. What we desire to emphasise is that the matter shall be looked at fairly and squarely. Both China and Japan are aware that much depends on Britain’s attitude. They have confidence in British justice, and fully appreciate her friendship. The warmth of the welcome recently accorded the Japanese Crown Prince in London is evidence of the good feeling that exists between the two nations. Whenever, therefor. tne question of closer union P'W'en China and Japan comes s the realm of practical polities, as seems likely to be the case sooner or later, friendly guidance by Britain may have a salutary effect, whereas opposition may be fraught with much danger.