Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-09

ship OF the United States in an roo
monte way. but she has been able tn
get along without It, SO long ma shc
could count on enjoying the economic
.rIehdshlp or the great European ma
lions. So long as Japan was "a bnl-
iigerent and the United States q nom
tr"l. even though Japans part In tho
great war was no very active one she
remained closer to England. France and
RUSSIA than did the United States.
io-uay the united States is the great
power TO which England, France and
Russia look for mor.y, ships. food
ana mon. In six months Of war wo
nave done ten times as much for the
allied cause as Japan has done In three
ana half years. and we arc only be-
ginning Hence, In case Of any diplo-
matte or economic dispute between
Japan and the United States. there ia
little doubt where England, France and
Russia would stand. The weight of
our word in world councils has in
creased enormously since we declared
Japan's advantage to remain on the
pest or terms with the United States
The Chinese situation has also
changed since China declared war
Japan's most VIAL interests lie I'm
china; 1t Is alnPst diplomatic axiom
always to be found on Chinese soil
employing n father aggressive poiicv
toward her & ncighbor. She was
encroaching on China politically, eco
nomically andJsometimcs even with tho
threat of military force. This program
did not make for good relations with
the United States; the Chinese ques-
ton was really the only point OF fric-
t!on between the two countries
When China declared war, she there
by became an ally of Japan. She also
"a nf
Russia, Italy and the United Statas-
OF the circle of powers which will do
tcrmine TIE fate OF the nations at the
peace-tabf japan has apparently
ar sd w up mir" sse tina. the allied pow,
now has n strong claim on the con-
sideration of tho allies-of whom, in
fact. Japan herself is ono Hence the
future program OF Japan in China
may well have been remodelled by
Japanese statesmen. and In such n way
that full cooperation between Japan
and the United States is an internal
part OF II.
Fors in the largest view, this war
has already gone far enough 10 decide
once and for all that the domination
OF weak powers by strong powers Is
a doomed policy japan has leaned, at
times in tho past, toward such a DOM
ination OF China; but there is hardly n
nation In the world that has not acted
on the same policy Mt some time. some
where. Japan camn late into the
arena OF world -polti.s. and she played
the game largely according to the rules
she found already in force. To-day
those rules are being changed, and
japan is nothing II not farsighted
1t may be that che has decided to
play tho game according to the new
rulcs-the rules that are being ham
ucrcd out by the cannon in Flanders
nation shall be dominated against it's
viii. politically or econo IN 'cally, by n
stronRer nation. The new rules mean
hat the Open Door will come back to
china. And IL Japan's friendly mis-
sion TO the United States means that
she Is willing to meet America half
way in establishing tho new order of
things in the Pacific. then The en-
thusiastic welcome rendered TO Wis
count Ishii was none too warm.