160,000 NEW SOLDIERS YEARLY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160812, 20 November 1920, Page 4

160,000 NEW SOLDIERS YEARLY.

There can he no doubt, whatever pacific talk may be Indulged in by Japanese leaders, that the flame of anti-foreign feeling is being carefully fanned In Japan Itself, and that her people are being worked up to a fighting state of mind. Her statesmen may say that war with America is unthinkable, but we hear also that her students —-a section which has a far more powerful influence on Japanese public opinion than we In this country realise —have been debating the question, “Shall Japan fight America?” They discussed, not, be it noted, such questions as “Will America make war on us?” or “Can war be avoided?” or “Is there a peaceful solution of the problem?” but “Shall we fight?” with, it is plain, emphasis on the “we.” The Japanese Press, too, is taking a similar part in the game; inflaming the public mind with stories of anti-Japanese feeling abroad, as if saying, “See how these people hate us! Why not get the first blow in?” This and other signs make it fairly plain that, whatever Japanese statesmen may say for the benefit of the foreign audience, they are making none but a feeble attempt, certainly not a serious one, to induce similarly pacific sentiments in their own people. War with America is not likely to ensue just yet; Japan is neither ready enough nor powerful enough. But if, as there is some ground for suspecting, Japan means business in the matter, she will go to work with characteristic thoroughness on the task ofpreparation, important items in which will be inculcation of a belief in their own martial supremacy and of anti-American spirit. That assumption has a fairly good appearance of reflecting the Japanese mind, at present at all events. And if it comes to a head, it will have to be borne in mind that of Japan’s 300,000 increase of population each year, the boys, that is about half of them, will become trained soldiers, while America is certainly not training 150,000 new soldiers per year.