prairie farmers, maintained steadfastly that Canada had no cause to project itself into the European conflict.
But the Canadian West is not acclaiming Japan’s entry into the fracas with enthusi- asm. Here is the viewpoint of the Edmon- ton, Alberta, Bullctin:
“Japan’s ultimatum to Germany to get out of the Pacific ocean is a bolt from the blue In so far as the Japanese course is dictated for the ally who stood by her in the late war, it is entirely creditable to the fidelity of the Tokio government. But the wording of the ultimatum indicates plainly enough that Japan is in the war not merely for the sake of helping Britain but for the sake of extending and solidifying her own position as a power in the Pacific
. . .But if the favorableness of the opportunity and the possession of a plaus- ible reason are the sole requirements of the Japanese government as warrant for a war of aggrandizement, it behooves those who have territory within reach of her formid- able navy to look to their defenses for the future The growing power of Japan has been for years the animating thought in the minds of the people of New Zealand and Australia, and with that thought in mind they have set about de- fending thei> shores against possible attack from that quarter. In view of the present development Canadians can hardly fail to comprehend the viewpoint of our kinsmen in the southern Pacific, or to regard it as one equally worthy of their own serious regard. If acquisition is to be the watch- word of the new power in the Pacific it is high time that Canada began making pru- dential provision for safeguarding her coast line on the western sea.”
It will be interesting to learn of Aus- tralian comment on this situation.
As for India, read the comment by the Hindu, Taraknath Das, on page 772.
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The British Columbia Highlanders wear two-faced kilties, inconspicuous khaki in front and vivid plaid behind. They do not care how glaring a mark is presented by the side that will never be turned to the enemy. Thirty thousand colored troops from India followed the Highlanders across Canada.
The Monroe Doctrine of the Orient
ONE of the strangest symptoms of the present war disease is the unanimous plea of all belligerents that they have been forced to draw the sword to de- fend their national existence. Just how much weight should be attached to this plea by the impartial observer is revealed glaringly by the statements of K. K. Ka- wakami, the noted Japanese publicist, in another part of this magazine. Mr. Kawakami states that Japan sincerely be- lieved that “‘she was defending her national existence against the wanton attack of the Celestial Empire’ in 1895, a statement which, in the light of subsequent develop- ments, in view of China’s notorious help- lessness, brings a smile to the lips of the latter-day reader. Yet Japan may sin- cerely have entertained that absurd notion, at least fully as sincerely as the European nations are now giving utterance to the same plea.
But today Japan no longer pleads the necessity of defense. Japan is today laying the foundation for a new Monroe Doctrine, is preparing to issue the dictum of “Asia for the Asiatics!”’, is endeavoring, according to the published utterances of her states- men and journalists, not only to prevent further colonization of the Far East by whité powers, but to drive from the Asiatic continent the second European nation par- ticipating in the spoliation of the Chinese coast. Russia was the first to be ejected; it is Germany’s turn now and, according to Mr. Kawakami, the Japanese Foreign Office hopes that the eventual restoration of Kiao-chau will be followed by England’s voluntary surrender of Wei-hai-wei and of Kwang-chow by the French.
The Monroe Doctrine never contem- plated a disturbance of the status quo in the Americas; it merely served to prevent all further colonization enterprises by foreign
