St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

Page 21 text:

F. A. Flynn S. D. Leipsic M, I. Cronin T. Boyle I. P. Barnett M. Riordan L. M. Cahill C. V. Nolan J. I. Taheny F. W, Murphy E. M. McC-lade D. W. Daly I. M. Kenny F. W. Cleary E. Sharkey V. W. Hallinan

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18 THE IGNA TIAX message was distasteful to the Roman bC4:ai1S9 if Clmllfllldcd caution, Caesar was too great, two powerful to stoop to cau- tion. And Caesar-died. ln the false security which ill? knowledge of his greatness built about him he fell-an easy victim to the schemes of lesser men. As with men--so with nations! What, we wO11dG1'-Will be the decision of mankind when it looks back on this liv- ing, breathing present to determine the wisdom of oul' gen' eral attitude toward Japan today? NVill its judgment be. that this great nation in its pride of place. at the pinnacle of its power was guilty of the self-same folly that bared the breast of Caesar to the knives of his assassins? Shall it iii the light of future analysis appear to all the world that the American people, blinded by an egotistic conception of their greatness, rushed headlong and unseeing into the very midst of dangers that were plainly visible to the normal eye of rea- son? Shall it some day be told how the American eagle was lulled into a fanciful and groundless security by the sweet music of its own laudations, how it was rendered apathetic and indifferent to danger in the consciousness of its power, on the adulations of its inferiors,-it in the midst of its lazy improvident dreaniings was victimized by the danger it was too proud to prepare against,-the practiced-sharpened and murderous talons of an eagle that flew from the East! And yt hat cause-what reason is there at the present time tor the issuance of such a warning to America? Trouble in the nature of armed conflict, between this nation and Japan has ever been a topic of at least academic interest. Vol- umes have been written on it by the more eminent strategists ot' both countries. ln the Pacific states however, and par- ticularly in California, the question has been far more than simply one ot' academic interest. Due to the inaetment of such measures as the Alien-land law for the purpose of alliording to American citizens their just proportion of pro- tection, feeling has sometimes run high both in Japan gud along our own Pacific slope. Today that feeling has been

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20 TIIE ll'l.Y,1TIil.Y rolmorn and int.ensil'ied lay the position which HIC 2'W 1'Ul'lCllt ot Japan has recently assumed relative to the rights ot the United States in the important little lSlH1lCl of Yilll. Yap-he it. known, is one of the tfaroliiie lslands situ- ated some eight oi' nine hundred nnles from the Philippines. These islands, together with all the other ol' Gerntany Paci- l'ie possessions no1'th of the equator, were included in the mandate confei'i'ed on Japan hy the Suprenie Vouncil of thf lieawu- of Nations as her just and rightful portion ot the spoils ot the war. The only island wherein Japan's exclus- ive control is odious and in conflict with the recognized rights oi' the llnited States is the Isle of Yap. For Yap. small and insignificant as it appears to lie, is the very heart of all calile communication lletween America and the Far East. The arteries ot news front two different worlds run tlirougli the very heart of this island. Prior to the war, when G9Fll12lllj controlled the cl2il'0llilL' group, the rights of the United States to the supervision and control of her national cahle interests were recognized hy all the nations of the world. Now. armed with the niandate of the League of Nations, Japan denies any right of America in Yap, and firmly contends that. under the terms of the mandate her' control is exclusive. The result of Japan 's de- termined Stand in the matter has heen the launching of num- erous official messages from NVashington to the various nieniliers of the League Vouncil and to Japan herself. The llnited States of Anieriea, through the lips of her St'Cl'L'till'j' of State, t'hai'les Evans Hughes, has voiced its official pro- test. The teuoi' of the notes is this: First: Since the rights of Japan in Yap are in conflict with the prior rights of the lluited States in the same island. Japan can ohtain no exclusive control over the said island without the consent ol' the Governnient ot the United States. Second: At no time in any negotiations has the United States Hoverinnent ceded to Japan its rights in the island of Yap. Third: The Supreme Council in graiiting to Japan a