JAPANESE SENTIMENT

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1920, Page 6

JAPANESE SENTIMENT

, AGAINST THE UNITED STATES THE ALLIANCE 'wiTH BRITAIN. The storm of sentiment against the United States which was awakened by the argument in the .Senate against Japan in the course of the discuseion of the Sha.ntung affair, and which was heightened by anti-Japanese proposals of legislation in California, and the discussion of Federal immigration legislation which is likely to affect the Japanese, has become more intensified, through the discussion of the renewal of the AngloJapanese alliance and of. the Japanese Budget Estimates, which include excessively large 1 sums for the army'and the navy, particularly for the latter (wrote the Tokio cotTespondent of the New York Evening Post recently). Various newspapers publish leading articles intended to show that the United States is determined to block Japan's path in various directions, and the list of misdeeds alleged to have been committed by the United States is being enumerated at great length. The Anglo-Japanese alliance expires in July, 1921, and whereas it was renewed twice, once two and .another time four years before its ' expiration, tha Japanese now seem-to think that it is time that \ another renewal be brought about. In this connection they goint out that the United States does not wish to have this alliance renewed, or at least that it does not wish it worded in such a way that America will not come within the scope of its operation, and this has furnished one of the texts for the general clamour \ against the; United States. ■ . '

The most virulent article in this connection was published by the Osaka. Mainichi, one of the biggest, papers in Japan, which categorically enumerated sixteen points to show that the United States had been inimical to Japan ever since that country entered info relations with modern countries. The charges thus mafle begin with a statement that when Commodore Perry visited Japan ha would have opened the country^ by force had that been necessary. From that point it goes on to say that America assisted in the independence plot in Hawaii, and used it to realise^ the annexation of these islands; that, in obtaining Guam it secured another Btepping stone to the Orient, and laid a foundation for activities in China-, ■ whereby Japan's activities there could be hindered; that sines the school children question arose in California the United States has openly opposed various Japanese plans, that the proposed alien land legislation in California tramples ■underfoot the laws of humanity; that America tried to alienate China from Japan in connection with the former's participation in the European war; that she attempted to oust Japan from investments in China, to harass Japan at the Peace Conference by preventing her from obtaining absolute possession of the South Sea. Brand's, to restrain her from sending troops to Siberia, to threaten her by increasing her Pacific Fleet, by assisting the independence agitation in Korea, and by assisting the anti-Japan-ese boycott in China; that America^ caused Japan embarrassment in connection with the debates on the German Peace Treaty, that Senator made insulting remarks with regard to Japan appropos of the Labour Conference, and that the proposed Federal immigration legislation is anti-Japanese. FAVOUE RENEWAL OF ALLIANCE. ': Other papers repeat,'much the same thing, but nearly all are greatly in favour of the renewal of the Anglo-Japan-ese Alliance, with the. notable exception of the Niroku, which takes-a fall . out of Premier Hughes, of Australia, -and openly 'declares that the Anglo-Japanese combination is an unnatural one, and that Japan should go to China to form a yellow race alliance, as against the white races. "We should openly < declare for an alliance of yellow races,]' it says. "We need not feel constrained: by the Anglo-Japanese alliance. We need not flatter the American Government. The world of yellow men should rest on their own shoulders. No white man should be allowed to interfere."

Following on sentiments such as these,, it is not to be wondered at that the Japanese Navy increased estimates, huge though they be, meet with/ general approval, although they will cause a tremendous burden of taxes. Briefly, these estimates are expected to reach 500,----000,000 yen, while the total revenues for the oast year were only 823,000,000 yen. , Even if the revenue is increased, the''navy will thus take at least 30 per cent, thereof, whereas Great Britain even in the days of her intense competition with Germany, spent only 25 per cent, of her revenue on the .navy. The new construction programme includes the building during the next seven years of four battleships, four battle-cruisers, 20 light cruisers, 82 destroyers, 72 submarines, and various other vessels, a fleet of 200 units at a total cost of 764,000,000 yen. The arguments advanced in favour thereof are the increased area of the Pacific under Japanese control, since the acquired control of the Marshall Islands, the increase of the merchant fleet, the possibility of a naval agreement between the United States and Great .Britain, while without doubt the additions made by the United States to her fleet furnish a very cogent reason also.

The army programme is also largo, but less sensational, and that also meets with general favour, although it is pointed out that the military jnuss keep out of politics. Thus the Jiji, after referring to the undoubted merits of the army in placing Japan where she is among the nations of the world, sa3's that "of all- the evils of militarism, the most serious may be that resulting from special diplomatic action taken by the militarists, as if they were independent of ths Government of the day." and it adds that "if they compromise themselves at homo and abroad by meddling in politics they will lose the sympathy of the people."