Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-19
A0kI HAS HAD NO WORD
AS TO JAPAN's DISSATISFACTION
OR HIS POSSIBLE RECALL.
Views Of a Diplomat - Agitation
Against Ambassador Work Of Pro-
gressive or Anti-Govt. Party.

The statement is reiterated today at both
the Japanese embassy and the Department
of State that no official Information has
been received to Indicate that any change
Is contemplated in the Japanese embassy
at Washington. 1t was said at the State
Department that Ambassador Aoki is per-
fectly agreeable to this government. and
that no intimation has been received that
the Japanese government Is dissatisfied with
his course of action in pending negotia-
lions.
1t Is generally recognized that the efforts
to bring about the recall of Ambassador
Aoki are mainly inspired by his persona!
enemies and the leaders Of the progressive
or anti-government party in Japan. 1t
Is also realized that a change in the Japa-
nese mission at Washington in the present
rupt the existing friendly relations between
the United States and Japan. AS one off,
clal put 1t. an ambassador of an aggressive
type is not likely to contribute to the peace
ana harmony of nations.
One Interesting Phase.
Il don't claim to know the inside facts
Of this Japanese business" remarked
diplomat to Star man, but there are
several interesting phases to it that seem
to have escaped general notice. For in
stance. the main reason given for the pro-
as can make out, is that he has agreed to
settle the various issues involved on
basis satisfactory not only to the United
states government. but apparently to the
government of Japan well. in doing
that' however, he has aroused the active
antagonism Of the progressive party, or
anti-government party of Japan. That
party is out of power and is trying to get
in It has raised the cry that Aoki has
been outmaneuvered in the United States
ana mas lost all the important moves in the
diplomatic game
The leaders Of the progressives asserted
that while he was successful in the insie-
nlhcant matter of the Japanese school rights
IN San Francisco he was completely routed
IN the much more essential question of
naturalization and immigration AS a re-
suit of his attitude in the recent negotia-
tons the progressivists assert that the
Japanese are really no better off so far as
the United States Is concerned than they
were before. and Japan, instead of being
treated as civilized power of the first or
der. has been relegated to the class of in
terror nations like China, and so may be
disseminated against with impunity.
According to published reports this al
leged unsatisfactory condition is to be reme-
died by the recall of Aoki and the appoint
ment In his place of Kaneko or some other
representative rep, Of the progressive party who
VIII see that the Japanese are given all the
rights and privileges in the United States
OF the people of the most favored nations,
or Will know the reason why.
Would the Change Be Wise.
is II reasonable to suppose that such a
change In the diplomatic mission at Wash
lngton would tend to promote the friendly
reiations OF the two governments? Would
1t not rather lead to exactly the reverse?
AS is we'll known, the powers that be in
both countries have done their utmost to
improve condition that might easily have
become serious and have reached a basis
that was recognized by both as the best
that was possible under existing conditions
The negotiations that brought about this
result were conducted by Secretary Root
and Ambassador Aoki and it Is n natural
assumption that the latter had the full au-
thorlty or the japanese government for the
course he pursued in the matter. If that
Is true, and 1t seems only reasonable, the
recall Of Viscount Aoki at the behest Of the
progressives would simply indicate that the
Japanese government was dissatisfied with
the attitude of the United States toward
the subjects of Japan, and would send us
an ambassador who would insist on the free
admission Of all classes of Japanese into
the United States with the same privileges
Of naturalization as are now accorded to
Europeans. 1t is easy to see how such a
condition might easily lead to a conflict Of
arms The United States government might
do as an act of grace or comfy what 1t
never would think Of doing on demand or
threat.
Aoki Could Not Interfere
Zone of the complaints made against
Aoki by the Japanese progressive junta in
Washington and San Francisco as I I'M
derstand 1t. is that he did not prevent GER
tain legislation by Congress, said to be
detrimental to Japanese interests. Just
think what would have happened to Am
bassador Aoki If he had undertaken to in
terfere with our lawmakers. If the pro-
gressives think that any foreign diplomat
can interfere with the course Of federal
legislation they are very much mistaken.
WI Ting Fang. the popular Chinese min
lister. came dangerously near getting into
a bad scrape on that account when he was
in Washington.
'"ro my mind 1t would be as bad policy
for Japan to send a lingo progressivist to
Washington as 1t would be for the United
States to send an advocate for Irish home
rule to England an out and out socialist
to Germany. 1t is far better for the peace
and welfare Of Japan and the United States
that the former should be represented at
Washington by conservative, like Aoki,
who believes in our friendship. than by
progressive like Kaneko. who is said to
believe that the japanese are entitled to
greater privileges in the United States than
have been accorded them"