Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-04
EDITOR
Envoy Ishii's Open Door Pledge

policy the part of Japan toward CHINA. but
pledges his country ito observe the principles Of the
open door with equal commercial opportunity Tor
all in China. AS this is what the United States
has all along stood for the declaration Of the Apa
nese envoy extraordinary is rcaS>uring It should
have Il quoting effect in memory of til" disturbing
In demands made by Japan upon China in 1919.
when the latter country under the presidency
Iof Yuan Shih-kai. Besides bringing the TWO ma
tions to the verge of these demands created
much suspicion of Japan. not only in the | nited
States but in Europe The assumption Of dirta-
tOria sway over China induced scowlS at Japan
even from Britain. her ally of a quarter Of cen
fury past.
What made the matter look worse to other na-
tons was the apparent dupIrity of Japan in deny
ing at first the existence of fully half the number
of demands of which China complained, later. when
proof went clearly against her explaining that these
demands were related to old questions having moth
ing to do with international relations and hence no
mention of them had been made to the powers At
the height of the crisis as between China and Japan,
the United States evaded responsibility under the
open door doctrine the state department giving out
that, owing to preOccupatOn with European war
complications. for the time being no diplomatic
negotiations relative to Chna's complaint would
be undertaken. However. Japan distinctly modified
her position; Yuan Shin kai, with his impera3tic
ambition soon afterward caused OvershadOwing
crisis in China and the International storm blew
over
While the demands in question did not actually
threaten Chinese territorial integrity. they went a
long distance in traversing Chinese independence.
Yet then as now there students of the relations
between the two countries, forming their opinions
from first-hand observation, who maintain that
Japan is the one country fit to act as next friend
to China in e2tricating her from misgOvernment
with its corOllary of misery for her Masses while
at the same time developing her resources and pro
noting the material interests not only of both cOun-
tries but of other nations seeking commerce in that
quarter
In the meantime there have been changes of gov
eminent in Japan and there is evidence that the
inudicious policy that produced the crisis of 1915
is now in the discard. japanese politics is not
different from that of other countries with parla-
mentary institutions. Her statesmen are divided
into parties founded upon principles sharply diff
ferentiated those of parties in America That
commission which passed through Honolulu lately,
bent on Investigation of commercial possibilities be-
tween the United States and Japan, represented
three or four distinct parties of the empire of the
Rising Sun. There is reason to believe that the
purely militaristc 'jingo party of Japan, which
developed great strength Immediately after the
Russo-Japanese war; has passed the zenith, of its
influence in national affairs and may be considered
as no longer formidable Japan may now be re-
garded and this opinion has confirmation in every
thing that Viscount Ishi has said in this country
as having definitely entered upon policy of peace
full development along with sufficient military pre-
paredness to protect such policy Her ambition for
leadership in the rehabilitation of China, while hav-
ing element of selfinterest is justified by her
brilliant record of achievement at home as we'll as
in Formosa and Korea, and by her geographical DO
jsition.
Fiscount Ishii uttered the pledge of respecting
the open door policy at time when the majority
OF civilized nations in to establish forever
the sacredness of international contracts This cir
eumstanee in itself ought to be strong assurance
that the pledge was given without discrimination.
Japan cannot afford in any future policy to devi-
ate by hair from the strictest tenor of that OBJ
legation.