THE JUBILANT JAPS:

NZ Truth, Issue 119, 28 September 1907, Page 8

THE JUBILANT JAPS:

Could They Beat America? Reasons Why Britain Should Distrust Japan.

It is not every public man wlio is humbugged by the Japanese Alliance, and who regards Great Britain as having done a great thing m« having entered into the Alliance with Japan. There is. for instance, Henry Laibouchere. He is of opinion that England has made a mistake. He does not, he say's, trust Japan. Nor does any other man who keeps his eyes open. "He says so m a recent ssue or London "Truth," and, after sugar-coating the pill for possible Japanese; rudders, -he expresses his 'dislike to the Japanese Alliance. His article is as follows :—

The Japanese have a great claim to oil. admiration. We Europeans have been far too much given to deem Asiatics our inferiors, and treat them as though they existed for our benefit. In our relations with them we have imposed our will upon them. The only reason why they have not all been placed under European protectorates, and deprived of all national independence, is that Europeans have not been able to agree on the

DIVISION OF THE SPOIL, owing to each nation being jealous of the other. That Japan should have brought, home to us all that henceforward we must respect the rights of Asiatics, and that she should have made it clear to us that she i must be accepted as our equal m all thincs. internationally, corninerciallv. socially. will go far to alter the course of the world's history., and m its consequence be far more important than the loves and the hates of European States. But it l by no means follows tliat we should entirely agree with Japan m her policy. I have always thought that our offensive and defensive treats with her was a mistake, for I am inclined to think that, whilst our aim was to use her for our ends, it is a good deal more likely that she will use us for hers.-

I DO NOT TRUST HER. Sha is exceedingly ambitious. Her statesmen are as good diplomatists as her people are skilled and brave warriors. Her object is to be mistress m the Far East, and she is not excessively scrupulous m the means she employs. Ido not blame her. We English have solidly established ourselves m all parts of the world, and we have laid it down that we must be paramount on the high seas. With what right, then can we complain that Japan should resolve to be paramount m thajt portion of the world where are her possessions ? Our newspapers are always telling us to think imperially ;■ what fault can we find with' Janan for 'doing the same ?

Japan has absorbed Corea. It would seem that she is bent _ upon absorbing Manchuria — to all intents and purposes. FRICTION HAS NOW 'ARISEN between her and the United States, and the Americans are sending a fleet to the Pacific. At present they, would not be able ,to defend the Philippines if they were attacked by Japan, and it is -doubtful whether they could prevent her from laying hands on Honolulu. If it came to a light between the two countries, Die odds are that Japan would conic out the victor. She is well aware of this, and the temptation to force a difference to the issue of a wav must be a very strong one.

i Look, a-sain, at her position m relation to China. That vast Empire is wakhi" up. Its rulers desire to have an army, "equipped, disciplined, and armed on the European model. If Janan waits many years, China, with her immense population, will become HER MILITARY EQUAL 1 , |if not her superior. lam not raisins the 'question whether the paramduntc'v of Japan iii the Far East will "be advantageous to humanity collectively* I" am merely pointing to what is likely before ions to occur. As close allies of J[Mpan, we are deeply concerned m her interests and ambitions. I doubt whether we rnfticicntlv considered to what they may lead wlieii thp alliance was concluded, "" • -