New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
.Japan's Free Hand Alters
Conditions in Far East

Bowdlerized. But while this action on
the part Of Great Britain was not only
very fattering and in some respects of
| advantage to the United States. it was
injurious to this country in others, for
! there is no doubt whatsoever that the
virtual abrogatiOn Of the Anglo-Japa-
nese treaty vastly increases the posi-
/ bility Of war between Japan and the
| United States in the event Of public
sentiment in Dai Nippon getting the up
] per hand of the Mikado and of his gov
ernment.
AS long as the alliance between Japan
and Great Britain remained in full
| force it constituted a species of brake
upon Japanese aggression and was val
ued by all the world especially by those
Western powers having colonial depend
enCies i'm the Orient as sort of safe
guard. As Japan's ally. England would
always have had voice in the formers
foreign relations, and would have beeh
I in a position. not only politically. but
also economically, TO influence her one
way or another. 1t is no eXageration to
state that Japan's war with Russia
could never have taken place had not
, Great Britain given her tacit consent
thereto-the alliance negotiated by Lord
Lansdowne being already in existence.
In Russia. indeed, and i'm many other
countries. the conviction prevails TO This
day that Great Britain tolerated the war
I Of her japanese ally with Russia for the
purpose of destroying the prestige
throughout the Orient of the one great
European power which had been all
along her principal rival and from
whom she had most to fear. Early in
1900. that is To say. actually before
peace between Russia and Japan had
| been concluded, England went io the
length of increasing the scope and Of
strengthening the bonds of ncr alliance
with Japan. To such an extent was this
construed as a restraint upon Dai Nip
pon that France. bound to England by
| the entente cordiale. felt so secure from
any attack upon her Cochin China and
TongkinG possessions by japan that she
withdrew the greater part of the large
! fleet which until then she had felt her
self obliged to maintain in Far Eastern
| waters for the defence OF her colonies in
that part Of the world.
That Frances fears-of which she was
thus relieved by the first revision of the
Anglo-Japanese treaty. in 1893. had con-
siderable foundation, Is best shown by
the fact, ignored by the general public.
but known in every diplomatic chan
cellerie, that at the time Of the Fashoda
| imbrOgio between England and France
| in 1895 at the moment when the crisis
was most acute. and when the question
| of peace or war was trembling i'm the
| balance, every officer Of the general staff
at Toxic was summoned to his post,
| ready TO respond 10 the orders, mOmen-
| tarily expected, for the immediate mo,
bilization and embarkation Of a couple
Of army corps for the invasion of
| Frances possessions to the south Of
| China. There was no such thing as an
alliance in those days between England
and Japan. But the japanese had all
ready then. by means Of their marvel
| lous Intelligence Department taken the
measure Of the efficacy of the support
which the Gar would have been able 10
give TO France in the Far East, and it
was considered at Toxic that the out
break Of "A war between England and
France would afford particularly IA
vorable opportunity for japan, not only
10 settle old scores with France, but
! likewise to secure a magnificent foothold
on the mainland Of Asia and to estab-
| lish her prestige as one of the great mil
itary and naval powers Of the world