Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-20
NOTED JAPANESE
REVIEWS POLICY
AMBASSADOR TAKAHlRA GUEST
AT BANQUET
SAYS PACT BETWEEN TWO MA
TIoNs is BINDING ONE
Declares There Is No Art in Game OF
Diplomacy--ReIations of Uncle
Sam and the Mkado
His Theme

NEW YORK, Dec. 19.-Comparins
the recent joint declaration by Japar
and the United States in regard to theil
respective policies in the Pacific to- 9
transaction between trusted friends,
Baron Kogora Takahira, Japanese am
bassador to the United States, IN an
address tonight at a Lotus club dinner
given in his honor expressed in an I'M
nistakable way his great qualification
that so strong a bond of union between
the two nations had been cemented.
Baron Takahira said:
when / lived in this city many
years ago 1 used to so to the Harlem
river for fishing, and | saw that the
boatman always rowed hard when the
tide was against him; in the same way
I see that diplomat speaks much
when his affairs ale not in good shape
But, as negotiations are now COM
pleted between the United States and
Japan, there is nothing to warrant
much speaking.
Il think we may say there Is now
nothing more to be desired IN the rela-
tions of our two countries.
but if the past is to serve as a les
son for the future, it would be we'll to
consider what we have had to expert
ence for these few years.
"In these years we have to admit we
had such q terrible time in regard to
our relations as we could never an
ticipate.
No doubt there were some undeSlr-
able incidents occurring between some
people of the two countries, but they
were only local affairs and in no way
to be regarded as menacing to our ira
ditional friendship.
"But too much importance was given
to them in some quarters and even a
war clamor was allowed to be raised
in spite of the sincere good will ex-
listing between the two governments.
Results Not Serious
"But, thanks to the sincerity of the
friendship existing all the time be-
tween the two governments, no serious
consequences were allowed to occur
that might otherwise follow such Cir
cumstanceS.
Il took the opportunity at a dinner
given in my honor on my arrival here
some months ago to declare that there
is no art in our game of diplomacy.
'In our international transactions I
can most firmly repeat the same as
sertion and add that there is no such
word as diplomacy as popularity de-
fined.
1.-THE declaration of the two govern
ments recently made by the United
States and Japan in regard to their
Pacific is a good example.
ut is simply a reaffirmation of what
was understood between them years ago,
and there is practically nothing which
was not hitherto declared between
them. 1t is like a transaction between
trusted friends. It requires no for
mality to legalize the instrument.
"Still when such declaration was
made between the governments of great
moral standing like those of the United
States and Japan, it undoubtedly will
have an important effect, which think
is already beginning to be felt in many
ways; and it is my sincere desire that
the people of each country will have
the same mind as their own govern
nents in trusting of the other and In
doing so I am convinced their rights
will be protected and their interests
largely advanced to the mutual benefit
of the two countries"