The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-30

is now. needed as a counterweigh
against Japan in the far east and tn
president is not averse to seeing it OF
it's traditional friendly footing again
At L~ogeerheads With Britain.
We are at loggerheads with Grea
Britain about canal tolls. Great Brit
ain also is needed as a moral backe
when we come to deal finally with tn,
question Of the Japanese on tn
Pacific coast. -..-
We have pigeon .holed som
arbitration treaties that are needed t
strengthen our position in Mexico. TIL
president brought up all these matterE
and appears to have worked u som
chessboard moves that are now sub,
mitted to the senatorial diplomats wht
have longer than he studied foreign
affairs.
Denies Japan Aids Huerta.
The White House absolutely denie:
that there Is anything in the story
that Japan is aiding Huerta and there.
by embarrassing this country's effort!
to pacify Mexico. It is not denied thai
Japanese citizens have sold arms tt
Huerta, as they had a right to do
there being no embargo on 1t in Japan
but it Is denied that this raises any
diplomatic question whatever.
The president said before the con-
ferecen Of Monday night that it was
not called because Of any crisis, but
was to be merely a clearing house Of
foreign matters now pending and thai
have long been pending.
| =, Would Repeal Free Tolls.
First, there is the matter of cana.
tolls. The president told the senators
| 4I1~+ ~ -r-> -Iw~ y. 10 Fowv--. "a IL
repeal Of the free tolls clause and that
at the proper time he would be inclined
to insist upon it's being done, either
through the Adamson act suspending
the free tolls for two years, or entirely
and before the canal is opened. The
senators decided that the president
should have said something about this
earlier. He replied that the extra SEES.
sion was so full of big work that he
did not feel like injecting this ques-
ton into it, but it ought now to be
taken up
Wants Treaties Ratified.
The Russian commercial treaty mat
ter had not been considered. The presi-
lent said it hardly could be until we
were represented there by a permanent
ambassador. The neXt day Henry M
Pindell was confirmed, which puts this
problem in the way Of negotiation AGAR
as soon as the Peoria editor gets his
bearings in st. Petersburg.
The president was very, anxious fol
the ratification Of the arbitration
treaties which have been hanging fire
Their importance at the present time
is their bearing on Mexico. With the
treaties in force, America is in q bet
ter position to get the full moral back
ing of Japan to solve the Mexican rid
die. At the same time it is not admit.
ted thai the failure of these treaties
to be ratified has given cause for any
anxiety regarding Japan. s
Would isolate Japan.
Their effect would be to isolate Japan
in a measure and make our position
easier in Mexico. While not making
any difference in the Japanese com
plant against California legislation, the
latter situation would stand by itself,
The Japanese government, 1t is believ-
ed here, is playing some good local
politics through the Maxine speech and
the yelled reference to other means
of getting a settlement. The Japanese
administration has been hard hit at
home because of its apparent inability
to rush this country automatically
1t is putting UP a bluff for home con-
sumption. This is the best opinion here
Bryan Not at Conference.
Secretary Bryan was MOI at the
Monday conference, but in New York
making a speech to the Asiatlc asso-
citation, which is rather eager to know
what effect the Wilson policy Of retir-
ing from the Chinese loan will have. on
our Chinese trade. Mr.. Bryan was not
able to tell them much except that the
president believed his policy would be
good for trade as well as other things
in the long run. In the absence Of the
secretary Of state several foreign mat
ters were not gone into in detail, but
those that were touched upon were
understood between the president and
Mr.. Bryan in advance.
The embargo on arms to Mexico is
the most ticklish part Of the Mexico
situation. The president, is sometimes
inclined to listen to arguments for
raising it. Carranza wants it ana
promises to wipe out Huerta II it is
some OF the military party oppose it
for the opposite reason. The peace
people are shocked at the idea Of our
romoting war in Mexico. The military
men say that it would be folly. inas-,
much as we must finally intervene in
Mexico, to arm the Mexicans to OPP
pose our progress and thus make the
job longer, harder and costlier in men
and money.
The White House today denied
that there has been any change in the
presidents attitude on this question.
Not Likely to Raise Embargo.
It is most unlikely that the embargo
ever will be raised by this administra-
ton. The situation would have to be-
come much worse than ii is before
such a thing Isl done. If it is done III
will be because the senate foreign re-
lations committee which is nearly a
unit in favor Of such action, prevails
with the president and against Score
tary Bryan, who is strongly against
anything that would look like encour-
aging war while he is making peace
speeches. The senate committee is
not united yet, but a minority feel that
the eonstitutionalists in Mexico are
strong enough to Justify recognition
Of tfiei- belligerency and that, il this
wre dole, 1t would go a long way to-
ward avoiding the danger of anarchy