YELLOW PERIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 102, 2 May 1911, Page 4

YELLOW PERIL.

WAR TALK IN AMERICA. JAPAN DECLARED TO BE . "HEADY." COULD TAKE HAWAII. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SAN FRANCISCO, 22nd March. During the past few day 3 the cry of "yellow peril" has been raised by the yellow press of America more vehemently than at any time since tha antiJapanese riots disturbed the Pacific coast. In glaring headlines the San Francisco Call announces : "Japan Gets Ready to "War on U.S." And the local Hearst paper, the Examine?, tells us : "Expert says Japan has taken Hawaii.— U.S. Prepares to Rush an Army to Hawaii — War Department Rushes its 1 Preparations Against Attack on U.S. Possessions from only Western Foe, Japan " The fact® upon which the war scare is founded are certainly not convincing in themselves 1 . For instance, the whole of the Call's case in support of its terrible warning can be fairly summarised, in these sentences : "It is a iacb that Japan has been encouraging immigration to Mexico and that Mexico ha.s been welcoming the Japanese immigrants. . . It is realised by the Washington officials that Japan, jealousi of the supremacy of the United States in the Pacific, foreshadowed by the approaching opening of the Panama Canal, is making alarming preparations for war. Japanese all over the world are contributing 'to a great war fund, and Japan itself has issued orders for 1,500,000 tons of coal from' the Tientsin mines for immediate delivery. Large numbers of Japanese are- being sent to the Hawaii Islands. Those who frow too old to bear arms axe sent ack, so that 'their places can be taken by younger men. Japan is moving cautiously, bub it is realised that it does not appreciate the approaching opening of the Panama Canal." The rest is eurmise and generalising. As for the declarations that the United States is preparing to resist an 'attack from Japan, they seem to have little more "than rumour to rest upon. There is a, rumour that the concentration of 20,000 American troops on the Mexican frontier is really aimed at Japan, the suppoeition being that America has become alarmed at the rapid growth of the Japanese populace in Mexico, and at+.he very friendly relations apparently existing between President Diaz and the Mikado'e Government. Of course ft is easier to suppose that the military demonstration is directed against the Mexica-ii rebels, especially since the Taft Administration has continually evinced a strong partiality for Diaz. But the rumour is in the air, -and more than one correspondent at Washington has sent it broadcast through the country's press. Besides, the army officers who aTe not in the complete confidence of -the Government are completely mystified by fche inarching orders they have received, and their conjectures give the rumourmongers an abundance of prolific seed. One fact : A z'egiment of soldiers is on its way to Hawaii — not to replace the troops already stationed there, but to be added to the garrison. But the War Department explains that this addition ,to the- Hawaiian forces was ordered last year and has no special significance. Here again, however, rumour is busy. We are told that the men of this regiment "have a rumour to the effect that within the next cix montlis a force of jS,OOO, including infantry, cavalry, field aarid mountain artillery, will occupy the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands." That •ague suspicion, based on v/hat "the men" say, becomes in the headline of the yellow press the definite assertion: ''Twelve thousand Troops to Occupy Islands." Perhaps the American imagination has been "working overtime" to manufacture a war scare ont of such flimsy material. But the scare lias come, in form unmistakable. It is the big topic of conversation in San Francisco. And it must \be admitted that, to a mind fhat accepts the yellow peril as a fact — to one that has dwelt upon the coining of tho Japanese with aversion and fear —there is" more than enough to eet the imagination •working. Apart from recent events and recent rumours that Itave excited certain classes of press writers, of politicians, and of plain people, it is grantpd even by experts and officials that there J s good reason to fear what tho Jauanpse could do to the possessions of the United States if she should choose. Major-General Nelson A. Miles, retired, told a Hearst representative at Washington that Japan could take possession of the islands in the Pacific Ocean now owned by the United States — the Philippines, Hawaii, and Guam Island. However, he - qualified the assertion by stating his conviction that Japan could not hold these lands permanently. "It is the height of absurdity," he said, "to suppose that Japan, or any other Power, for that matter, could capture part of our continental or insular possessions -vnd retain them permanently." His confidence in 'America's military power was unbounded — which makes his admission of Japan'o ■ advantageous position all the more significant. In this interview General Miles was answering statements made in an article by Count Ernest^ yon Keventlow, the German strategist. This article, which was reproduced by the Hearst papers, gave the count's opinion that Japan could not only take the island possessions of the United States, but that, in «o doing, she would maSe herself the absolute mistress _of the pacific. Furthermore, the writer expressed the opinion that Japan was preparing for aggressive war with the United States—^a belief not shared by General Miles. The experts seem to agree that Hawaii, splendidly situated as it is to serve as id naval base, is the key to the Pacific, and that Japan could get that key within her grasp without sending a single warship. Count Resays there are approximately 66,000 Japanese living in the islands, and only 1000 American troops, co that "•Xapan is in a position to conquer the Hawaiian Islands from within." And he quoten an American general, Homer. Lee, to support his contention. Similarly, a former Special Agent of the American Government to Hawaii, P. F. Montgomery, writes in a newspaper article: "The Japanese do not need \o take Hawaii — they have taken it." He says that 80 per cent, of the people working ton- a living in the group are Japanese. CONGRESSMAN SOUNDS WARNTN'G. Perhaps tne most notable of recent Philippics against the Japanese was the speech made by Congressman - R. P. Hobson, formerly a naval captain, in the Hoiu3 of Representatives oji 20th Feb- i ruiiry! He predicted that this country j would be at war with Japan within ten ' months, aud that the, war would, last six years, or perhaps a decade. He added: "Ever since we took possession of Hawaii and the Philippines and refused, to permit Japan to enter with us,, and because of our treatment of the Japanese, that country has been preparing for war with us. Their people in this country

and in our possessions are helping to prepare. We have every proof of this." The speaker told ot the difficulties confronting America in a conflict with Japan. The Panama Canal would not have been built, and Japau, after taking the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii, could occupy Panama to prevent completion of the Canal. "We could not send our fleet around the Horn," said Captain Hobson, "and have the ships in shape to fight the Japanese fleot fresh from its base at Hawaii. "A great battle would be fought on the Panama Canal zone before this country could complete tiie canal. Then tho battleships cotikl be sent' through for a naval fight with the Japanese. If defeated or badly disabled in that fight this country would have to wait until it could rebuild its fleet before resuming the conflict. If successful, the Japanese would have to be driven from their base at Hawaii, which would be fortified as strongly as Gibraltar." Under the most favourable circumstances, argued Captain Hobson, it would bo six years_ before this country could driv* tht Japanese off the Continent, oft" the Paci".c, and confine them to their own islands. Then the war would only be fairly started, because America would have an opportunity for the first time for striking effectively at Japan's own territory. DIPLOMAT'S ASSURANCES. With war talk in the air. official disclaimers of hostile plans are little heeded. A Japanese Naval attache at Washington has told how very difficult it would be for Japan to make war on America. And "Ambassador Yasuya Uchida has declared that the whole agitation is "preposterous" and "nonsensical," adding his conviction that "the thinking people of America characterise it as such." But he does not appear to consider the large number of people that do not "think." And ho is rather unfortunate in his argument, which is to ths effect that Japan wants -to keep her paoplo at home. An exactly opposite view was expressed in a recent issue of a Tokio monthly by Count Okuma. He contended that it was necessary for Japan to find some outlet for her fast growing population, and he urged, though not in to many words, that all restrictions upon migration should be Temoved. "As an ardent advocate of international peace," he said, "I propose that the world should be the heritage of all nations and races." Count Okuma has consistently urged that America should remove the baa on Asiatic immigration. Fortunately anti-Asiaticism is not very rampant at the moment on the Pacific coast. The agitation against the new treaty with Japan died quickly. Tha proposed legislation for segregation of Asiatic school pupils is considered killed, arid the only element of danger now in «ij;ht is a Bill pending in the California Legislature to prohibit Asiatics from owning land in the State. NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION. If thera is a whirlpool forming, is it going to drag New Zealand into its current? This is a question that has but a casnal_ interest for Americans, but it has received a word of notice. General Miles, in the interview already quoted from, was asked : "Do you believe that Great Britain would tolerate an effort on the part ot Japan to control the Pacific?" He answered : "No. She would be cutting off her nose to spit© her face. If Japan controlled the Pacific, what would become of the 52 per cent, of the transoceanic shipping of the world's commerce that England holds? Wnat would be the position of Australia, New Zealand, and her other Southern Pacifici possessions?"