Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-24

THE CHINA.JAPANESE SITUATION
While the situation in the Far Eas.
is we'll calculated to disquiet Ameri
can friends of both China and Japan
there are not lacking signs that al
least some of the clouds which have
been shadowing the Tokio.Peking dir
lomacy are lifting. Count Okuma's
latest message will have weight with
a good many people, particularly those
whose interest in Far Eastern diplo'
macy is inspired by a healthy and
wholesome regard for the common
good Of all. And certainly Japan has
every reason to move cautiously and
generously just now in her dealings
with China.
No man can say what the ultimate
results of the great wal are going tc
be on the politics of the Orient. But
while this is true, there is than
one reason to believe that after all
the cards are shuffled and dealt OH
in the inevietble peace conference,
after settlements have been agreed
upon and the great nations get down
to the practical work of rebuilding
where they are now destroying, the
fate of the Far East for peace or war,
for veal or for woe, will rest most
largely in the hands of Japan, the
United States, and Russia.
In addition to the great internal and
colonial problems which England and
France will have to meet, in victory
or defeat, England is very likely 70
find her hands very full in India, so
that she will not be so free to devote
her energies to purely Far Eastern
development, however her diplomacy
may relish a subordinate place in the
formation of Far Eastern decisions.
This, of course, is not at all incom.
patible with a fair amount of energy
on her part in the conservation so far
as is possible, of the very valuable
trade she has succeeded in develop.
ing on the Yangtse and elsewhere at.
ter years of supremacy in the oriental
diplomatic field. ;'"' 80 $50" faH
1t is significant, however, that the
war has not at all diminished Rus.
sia's restless activity in the Far East
the very latest dispatches bring
news of new industrial and financial
undertakings in Mongolia, and it is
just possible that an explanation Of
Japan's eagerness to act Immediately
in some decisive way on the Asian
mainland us inspired by this persist
6f IA .EY 5H ~ 81,
ent Russian pressure. a. s.
There is~a great field heresfor con
structive American diplomacy. A bat
ter feeling is growing up between the
more influential elements in Russia
and the people of this country, which
indicates that Russia might be inclin-
ed to listen to suggestions from Wash
ington properly put in preservation Of
mutual interests in the oriental COM
mercial field. This presupposes, of
course, a practical acquiescence in our
policy Of a definite stand in defence
of the preservation of China. There
is no doubt whatsoever in the minds
Of many progressive and influential
Japanese that it is to Japan's inter-
est to strengthen Americas prestige
in oriental diplomacy as the best pos.
sible defence against a more than pos
sible future clash between Japanese
and Russian interests, instigated by
continued nibbling at China's domain.
1t is just possible that in pressing
for an understanding upon outstand-
ing China.Japanese questions, the
| statesmen of Toxic NAV be nursing in
their minds some great altruistic plan,
the nature of which they intend to
disclose at the proper time-when the
inevitable peace conference is at
tempting to recolor a very large part
of the map of the world. Japan's
friends hope so, and many of them
think that she will be very wise if
she does adopt a position which will
end at once and for all time the COM
petition which has gone on decade af-
ter decade between a majority of the
greater powers in infringements upon
China. There is some truth in the
phrase, "Japan's problem Is China"
Japan's best solution of that problem
is the friendship of the Chinese peo-
pie, and if she proceeds persistently
to cultivate that friendship through