The Washington herald., 1907-05-12
APPEALING TOJAPAN
WILL THE UNITED STATES FOLLOW
THE EXAMPLE OF FRANCEp
BY Ex-AFTACHE.

BY EX-ATTACHE.
In order 10 understand the Importance
Of the agreement which France. accord
! ing to official information, is concluding
with Japan for the maintenance OF the
status quo in the Far East. il is neces-
sary 10 recall an incident which is not
generally known, and which occurred
about ten yaars ago. II Will show the ex-
tent to which the impending entente will
relieve the French Of uneasiness with re-
gard 20 their colonies In the Orient. At
the time of the Fashoda imbrogiio be-
tween Great Britain and France, at the
moment when the crisis was most acute
and when the question of peace or war
was trembling in the balance, every Off
Ger OF the general stan at Tokyo was
summoned to his post, ready 10 respond
to the orders momentarily expected for
the immediate mobilization and embarka-
ton of a couple Of army corps for the in
vasion of Frances possessions to the
south of China. There was no such thing
as an alliance ln those days between Eng
land and Japan; not even any under
standing, But the japanese had already
then, by means of their marvellous inteln-
gence department, taken the measure Of
the efficiency OF the support which the
Gar would have been able 10 give to
France I'm the Far East; and it was con-
sidered at Tokyo that the outbreak Of a
war between England and France would
afford a particularly favorable opportu-
nifty for Japan, not merely to settle olS
scores with France, but likewise to secure
d magnificent foothold on the mainland,
and to establish her prestige as one OF
the great military and naval powers Of
the world. Sir Edmund Monson, one of
the most tactful and brilliant servants
that England has ever had in her diplo-
matte service found means OF inducing
France 10 comply with the demands Of
his government and TO withdraw from
Fashoda, without delivering the ultimat-
um that he carried with him in his pocket
to the Qual d'Orsay. and which he had
been directed to present, and thus a
Franco-English war. which would have
been calamitOus from a political, and still
more from an economic point Of view,
was narrowly averted. In consequence /
thereof, the order for the mobilization at
Tokyo was not given. But before the end
of the year there was not a foreign lega-
ton at Tokyo and Pekin. and only a few
governments in Europe, which had not
become aware OF what had been Japan's
with regard to Frances de- /
pencies in the Far East.
France for many years past has been |
in constant fear Of an invasion Of her /
possessions in TOngking and In Indo- /
China by the japanese. The relations be |
tween Tokyoand Paris have been strained /
repeatedly during the last two decades /
sometimes almost 10 the breaking point 4
and the alliance of France with Russia /
was desired quite as much against Japan /
as against Germany Until the recent /
war in ManchUria, France relied on the |
naval and military power of Russia in /
turthermost Asia to help her 10 defend 1
her colonial possessions from any Japa- /
lese invasion. an invasion which would /
have coincided with a fully organized re-
Of the s0-called Black Flag
in all the border provinces.
It was in pursuance OF this policy that
France IN the early stages of the war
between Japan and Russia furnished such
IN amount Of assistance 20 Russia not
merely moral but also material, especially
n connection with the Odyssey of the
Baltic fleet TO the China Seas, as to
strain the obligations Of neutrality to
heir utmost limit. 1t was not until her
yes were opened by the crushing defeats
by the Russians on land and
N water at the hands Of the japanese
hat France realized the precise value of
duscoyite support and the full extent OF
Ter own danger. And if Delcasse were
irtually Ousted from the Office Of minister
n fovnfrr-s a. l,r~T !
vas with the object OF appeasing not
merely the German Kaiser in the Nforoc-
% controversy. but also the japanese.
7ho, intensely exasperated by Frances
ehance Of the requirements Of interna-
iOnal law, were ClamOring for the exc
ution Of the long-projected descent upon
'ongi1ing. II
So grave did the danger Of a japanese
lvasion Of Tongking appear 10 the ,
rench government Immediately after :
dmiTal TOgO's great victory that steps
'ere taken to send strong naval and mil
ary re-enforcements to Ind0-China. Be S
1re, however, these re~enforcements
ould be dispatched the French govern
lent received from London a confidential I
1mmunication Of the terms OF the new c
uded just then, and which altered the
tuation. True. the main feature of the a
'eaty is that 1t commits England to the a
efense Of Japan in the event of attack. / ?
nd Japan to the defense OF England. Z
lould any Of her Asiatic possessions be
lreatened by a third power. But these
)ligations, thus established, carry with \
lem the distinct understanding, even Il u
)t actually proclaimed in so many words. v
at neither Of the two contracting par- ?
rs should embark upon a war with a a
iird nation without the consent Of it's o
~ It means, therefore, that Japan. a
hile her treaty OF alliance with Great q
ritain lasts. is virtually debarred from b
ecuting, without the consent Of Eng
nd, the designs which she formerly. en- n
rtained with regard to French Indo- a
nina and 10 the Dutch East indies. or c.
e projects ascribed TO her with regard "
the conquest OF the Philippine Islands. n
Of late fears have been expressed as Al
the exact value of this alli0nce be- o.
'een England and Japan, and it has &
en- pointed out that the absolute refusal
Australia and New Zealand TO modify
eir laws excluding JapaIfese from their d.
rritory, in spite Of the treaty rights H
joyed by the Mikado's lieges. was cal "