JAPAN AND AMERICA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2111, 20 June 1907, Page 1

JAPAN AND AMERICA.

POSSIBILITY. OF WAR,

/Writing—oipthe. i’Silly ,War. Talk ,ji[ tho United States,” tho Globe and Commercial Advertiser. .(New York) remarks: “The serious and sober Japanese countenance sometimes indulges the luxury of a slow smile, but seldom does it crackle into laughter, .But oven Japanese stolidity is iiot proof against the supreme ridiculousness of war with tlie United States. So Tokio is noisily grinning over the silly reports fathered in Washington and step-fathered in Germany and Russia that a conflict is imminent —that an advance army has been quartered in Hawaii, and that Togo is sewing now .braid on his uniform.

“ ‘Japan,’ says--Viscount Haynshi, the Japanese Minister of-Foreign Affairs, us he controls his features, ‘has not tlio slightest idea of going to war with tlio United States.’ And to the same effect speaks- Baron Kancko. one of tli© Portsmouth peace envoys. ‘A great- majority of tho peoplo holding public positions here,’ lie says, ‘we re educated by American institutions. Now, through tlio press and otherwise, they are lielpin- the peoplo to appreciate the difficulty the Federal Government lies under in controlling the action of individual States. Burliido, Japan’s moral systom, insists that a finger shall never he raised against a benefactor. Japan owes her position among the Powers to America. The American Government and people, with England, are Japan’s best frionds. YVar is unthiukablo.’

“Nevertheless, although an aggressive war by Japan is unthinkable excqpt on tho theory that Japan lias suddenly gone mad, there is ono line of coiiduct that conceivably might sow such seeds of onmit" as in the end to bring on a struggle. This conduct is tlie manufacture and dissemination of news to the discredit of Japan. The Japanese are a proud and sensitive, peoplo, and if a certain section of our press should succeed in developing a pronounced anti-Japan-ese feeling on this side of the water it; perhaps in time would have reflex effect on the other.

“Certain newspapers in this country have boasted that they brought on the war with Spain. Do they propose, in tlie interest of sensational news, to work public opinion to .'demanding a war .with Japan? Is the old and honorable friendship that has existed between the ’Yankees of tlie East and West an offence to 'them ? Do' these marplots want to .inflame tlie hot-headed and irresponsible of America into- anti-Japanese .demonstrations and riots, knowing that information thereof will reach Japan and perhaps provoke similar anti-American outbreaks there? If they do then let the fabrication of anti-Japanese news continue. In due time, if the process is kept up Jong enough, perhaps a tradition of .hostility will be substituted for the tradition' of friendship and the two nations eventually ‘sicked, on’ to each other.”