The Washington herald., 1908-05-10
ny Ex-ATTACHE.

IL A<@A~-L n AsA@a
British Indlas totally unproyoked in
vaslon by an Afghan force last week. has
had the effect of bringing into activity
the treaty between Japan and England
signed in London on August Z, 1905, that
is TO say. before the Russo-Japanese war
had been brought TO conclusion by the
peace Of Portsmouth.
The treaty in question has been so
much misquoted and misunderstood. that
il may be worth while 60 give here such
portions Of the official version as apply
to the resent situation created by Afghan
istan. The most imortant paragraph Of
the instrument in this connection is I'M
doubtedly article ?. which reads:
IF, by reason of unproY5ked attack or
aggressive action, wherever arising on the
part Of any other power or powers, either
contracting party should be involved in
war in defense OF its territorial rights. or
special interests mentioned In the pre-
amble of this agreement. the other con-
tracing party will AT once come TO the
assistance Of its ally, and win conduct
the war in common. making peace in
mutual agreement with it.
Preamble to Article.
The preamble referred to in the article
Is as follows:
The governments Of Great Britain and
Japan being desirous Of replacing the
agreement concluded between them on
January 80. 1902, by fresh stipulations,
have agreed upon the following articles,
which have for their object:
Ia The consolidation and maintenance
Of the general peace in the regions OF
Eastern Asia and of India;
"Cb) The preservation of the common
interests Of all powers in China by lnsur-
ing the independence and integrity of the
Chinese Empire and the principle of
equal opportunities for commerce and in
dustry of all nations in China;
"(c) The maintenance Of the territorial
rights of the high contracting parties IN
the regions Of Eastern Asia and of India,
and the defense Of their special interests
in the said regions"
Careful consideration should be accord
ed to these extracts of the treaty. For,
on the one hand. they dispel the wide
/ spread apprehension entertained on both
/ sides of the Atlantic to the effect that
4 Great Britain was bound to support
/ Japan in the event OF the latter embark
/ ing upon a war Of aggression against
/ the United States, and they demonstrate
1 conclusively that the special interests
which the high contracting parties
/ pledge themselves to defend are confined
/ TO the regions of Eastern Asia and of
/ India
Japan Must Aid Britain.
On the other hand. article II plainly
shows that Japan is under an obligation
to come 'at once to the assistance of its
ally and to conduct the war in common,
making peace in mutual agreement with
1 it," without waiting for any summons
/ for help. In fact, II Is a question whether
under the terms of the treaty of August
/ 1905 England has the right to refuse the
armed cooperation Of Japan in Furnishing
/ the Afghan invasion. should the Mikado
/ insist upon taking a hand in the conflict
AT the time when this agreement be
/ tween England and Japan was conclud-
| ed one of the principal objects which
/ the British statesmen engaged in It's
negotiation had in view was The posi-
bility of an armed invasion by Russia OF
India, Afghanistan being regarded as
within the latters sphere 1t cannot be
said that the alliance appealed to tbs
/ subjects OF Edward VII either in the
I United Kingdom or in the great colonial
| dependencies subject TO his sway, while
it aroused particularly vigorous criticism
and condemnation on the part OF mos
of those Britons whose residence in the
far East has enabled them TO realize thai
a treaty of this kind was OF q character
to impair the prestige of EnglanC
throughout the Orient. and who regarded
the union somewhat in the light OF mis-
lcegenation.
So pronounced has been the unpopu
larity OF the treaty that in the hope o.
averting the possibility of its provisions
ever being called into activity agains
/ Russian, Sir Edward Grey last year con
eluded IN agreement with the Car upor
all sub iects of difference between tn,
two countries, especially the problems
relating to Asia.
Approve AngIO-Russian Treaty.
one Of the principal points made il
favor of this Anglo-Russian agreement
in Parliament. on the platform, and il
the English press, was that it woult
have the effect Of rendering superfiuou
the distasteful alliance with Japan, sine
there was no longer any likelihood O
japanese assistance ever becoming neces
sary 10 resist Russian invasion o
India or of Afghanistan. Lord Cremer
in a remarkable speech in the House o
Lords in favor of the Anglo Russian