WAR TALK.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13009, 10 January 1908, Page 6

WAR TALK.

America seems to be rather unfortunate, in respect of a few of her naval officers. They aro braro, and they know their -work, but they will talk, and they <lo r.ot always talk sense. We had an instance the otber day when Admiral Erans, in command of the American fleet now on its way to San Francisco, apparently intending" to justify his nicknamo of **Fighting '•.Bob,' , told ci New York audience, phat he would not he. disappointed whether tho Pacific cruise meant "peace, frolic, or fight." "When "things cet a bit strenuous," he added, "and you know tJiafc eighty " millions behind you like to sco some- " thing done, it is a bit hard if you "may not do it.' . And now we have Captain Hobson., the much-kissed hero of Santiago, trying to securo his share of the limelight by a jingoistic declaration that only one thing now remains before war with Japan—a pretext. He evidently had tho motto ot America during the war with Spain, " Remember the 3laine." still ringing in his ears. Captain Hobson's penchant for po&ing is. no doubt fully recognised in America, and his romarks on the crisis will be given ail

tine attention they deserve, and no more. But it -would be hard on President llosevelt' if many officers of the American navy took it into their heads to bang the drum in this provocative fashion. It is to bo hoped that they will display rather moro discretion than Captain Hobson and Admiral Eva us have done. It is no fault of tho "yellow" Press, both of the United States and Japan, that the two countries did not come to blows months ogo, and nil the President's apparently genuine efforts to keep tho peace and promote a good understanding witJi Japan will/ be fruitless if tho American public can once be goaded, as they were goaded in 1898, into demanding irar. MrTaft, the American Secretary of "War. who recently visited Japan, as a friendly emissary, <]e<-'ared at a great :).uiq-:tt in Tokio that war between Japan and tho United States would bo a crime against modern civilisation, and the Governments of the two countries would strain every point to avoid such a catastrophe. Nothing Iws occurred lately, so far as the general public know, to accentuflte the difficulty between the two coimtries regarding Japanese immigration into the States; indeed, indications have pointed to the iemova.l of tho difficulty by Japan restricting as far as possible her emigrants to certain countries. In tho light of these circumstances Captain Hobson's wild talk seems particularly foolish an<l reprehensible.