JAPANESE SENTIMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14038, 22 April 1920, Page 7

JAPANESE SENTIMENT.

'Hie storm of sentiment against the United States which was awakened by the argument in the Senate against .lapan in the course of the discussion of the Shantung affair, and which was heightened l.y anti-Japitnere projiodals 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 Anglo-Japanese alliance and ot the Japanese Budget Estimates. which include excessively large sums for the army and the navy, particularly for the latter (wrote the Tokio correspondent of the New York "Evening Post" recently). Various newspapers pub-, lish 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 corn nutted by the United States is beiuu enumerated at great length.

Tlif Ahi;lo Japanese alliance expire* i" July. 1021. and whereas it v.af. renewed twice. nnre two and another time four years !**fr>re its expiration, the Japanese now ,'t'em t» think that it i.« time that another renewal he brought about. In this connection they point out that the United .State?- d«s not wish to have this alliance renewed, or at least th.it it docs riot 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 mo.it virulent article in this connection was published by the "Osaka Mainichi." one of the bicaeat papers in Japan, which categorically enumerated sixteen points to show that the United States had been inimical to Japan ever since that country entered into relations with modem countries. The charges thus made betirn with a statement that when Commodore Perry visited Japan he would have opened the country by force_ had that been necessary- From that point it iroes 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 stepping stone to the Orient, and laid a foundation for activities in China, whereby Japan's activities there could be hindered: that since the school children (juestion arose in California the United States has openly opposed various Japanese plans, that the proposed *lien land legislation in California tramples underfoot the laws of humanity; that America tried to alienate China from Japan in connection with the former a participation in the European war; that she attempted to oust Japan from investment* in China, to barase Japan at the Peace Conference by preventing her from obtaining absolute possession of the South Sea Islands to restrain her from sending troops to Siberia, to threaten her by _inCNa<inz her Pacific Fleet, by assisting the independence agitation in Korea, and by assisting the mnti-Japanese boycott in China; that America- eansed Japan

tor Sherman made insulting remarks with regard to Japan apropos of the Labour Conference, and that the pioposed Federal immigration legislation' is anti-Jap-anese.

Other papers repeat much the same tiling, "but nearly all are greatly in favour of the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese 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 filiotiJd 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 ned 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 sho.ulders. No wjiite 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 thev be, meet with general approval, although they will cause a tremendous burden of taxes. Briefly, these estimates are expected to reach 300,000,000 yen, whiie the total revenues for the past year were only 323,000,000 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 larsje, but less sensational, and that also meets with general favour, although it is pointed out that the military must 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, says 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 the Government of the day," and it adds that "if they compromise themselves at home and abroad by meddling in politics they will lose the sympathy of the people."