323 



The Review of Reviews, 



A WARNING FROM JAPAN. 

 It is one thing to borrow money and another t(j 

 call the tune, and Japan is apparently discovering 

 this, if we read the signs of the times aright. Professor 

 Kiroku Hayashi, who writes on " Racial Recognition 

 and Economic Pressure " in the second numlicr 

 of the African Times and Orient Review, is alarmed 

 at the prospect of endless indebtedness to European 

 financiers. He says : — 



To many of us out here in tlie East the new phase of the 

 situation brings us face to face with a financial combination of 

 JMirope anil America before which we may well hesitate anil 

 tremble. When it comes to fighting, we can figlit and hold our 

 own. But when the weapons are gokl and silver we are at an 

 immense disadvantage, as we have only just begun to practice 

 the use of these, and our armament is the most meagre. So long 

 as the money loaned us by the West \\'as ostensibly for our 

 commercial and industrial development, we could only be 

 grateful, and regard the influence as for our good ; but as we 

 feel ourselves grailually being drawn into the coils of financial 

 obligation to the Occident, and realise the disappearance of the 

 right to call ourselves our own, we naturally begin to doubt 

 whether after all our financial dependence on strangers will 

 prore ultimately for our welfare. The only thing about which 

 we have no doubt is the fact that the financial pressure of the 

 West upon the East is increasing steadily with the months and 

 years, and that the East will have to be more than wide awake 

 if the ensuing difficulties are to be obviated. Things cannot be 

 allowed to go on with the hope of some happy chance that 

 they will right themselves. Pressure is bound to bring irritation, 

 and this will lead to collision if not alleviated. We must, 

 therefore, face the situation frankly, and call upon the West to 

 .consider with us the responsibility created by the circumstances. 



He calls China in aid to give point to his argument : — 

 That country is to-day hopelessly in the hands of the West 

 from a financial point of view. When a co.mtry loses its 

 financial independence its sovereignty is little more than* name. 

 The spectacle of the representatives of 400,000,000 of people 

 wriggling in the hands of financial syndicates, such as we have 

 been witnessing in China for some time past, is pathetic in the 

 extreme. When a country is so wholly at the mercy of strangers, 

 it is unnecessary to say that its future dejiends altogether on the 

 altruism of its masters. So far we have escaped this humiliation 

 in Japan ; and if we are permitted to prosecute our policy we 

 hope to be able to make ends meet without foreign inter- 

 ference. 



/.«■ K/re I 



The Russo-Japanese Reconciliation. 

 J.\rAN : " Lei us forget the past. Shake hands ! " 



While hoping for the best, the writer suggests that 

 so far as Japan is concerned there will be no 

 acquiescence if the methods of Shylock are used_ to 

 her abasement. 



HAS THE PARTITION OF CHINA 

 BEGUN ? 



Under the unexplained title, " Agree with Thine 

 Adversary," .Mr. A. R. Colquhoun, in the Fortniglitly, 

 seeks to throw light on the actual state of things in the 

 Far East. On the surface it appears that the integrit\- 

 and independence of China are amply secured by inter- 

 national agreements. But such agreements are only 

 secondary to the Treaties entered into by China herself. 

 These latter include the cession to japan of Port I 

 Arthur, of the Manchurian railway and of the Autung- 

 Mukden railway, as well as the abandonment of the 

 Sin-ming-tun line. We are left in the dark as to how 

 far the open door to all nations is possible under obliga- 

 tions assumed by China to Japan and Russia. Then \ 

 the Convention of 1910 between Russia and Japan ^ 

 bound those Powers to respect each other's ric;hts in 

 Manchuria:, and to assist each in maintaining the 

 status quo; and the Convention of 1512, shortly to 

 develop into an alliance, binds both to respect each 

 other's " sphere of interest " : Russia's being " Outer 

 Mongolia and Northern Manchuria," Japan's " Inner 

 Mongolia and Southern Manchuria." 



Mr. Colquhoun ascribes " the initial impetus to the 

 Russo-Japanese union tor spoliation " to the " amazing 

 indiscretion " of Mr. Kno.x, United States Secretarw 

 in objecting to Japan's encroachments on China, and 

 in proposing the abandonment of the Manchurian 

 railways by Russia and Japan. Mr. Knox got no 

 support for this futile suggestion, and " the chief 

 result was at once to unite Russia and Japan in the 

 determination to main lain Manchuria as their own 

 special preserve." 



The conclusion of the writer is that " our alliance 

 with Japan and our friendship with Russia must not 

 blind us to the fact that they are pursuing a joint 

 policv of territorial expansion in Asia, and at the same 

 lime embarking on an unprecedented na\'al expendi- 

 ture which cannot fail to affect us." He asks, what is 

 our policy to be ? 



Dr. Dillon, in the Conteinpurary, points out that :t 

 formal alliance between Russia and Japan is super - 

 lluous, and he forewarns — 



liriti.^h politicians that it behoves them to familiarise themselves 

 with the idea of Russo J ipanese guardianship over China, and 

 virtual protectorate, resembling in character, but siirpa-dng in 

 results, .\ngio Russian tutelage in I'ersia. 



East and West for .\ugust reports the sudden deatli 

 of its founder and editor. Mr. B. M. .Malabari. He wa 

 ill Simla, talking on the telephme to a contributor to 

 the magazine, when he was suddenly taken ill. He went 

 into his room, called for tea. groaned twice, and \\;i 

 no more. Every effort will be made to conduct h: 

 magazine on the usual lines. 



