New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-03
Japanese Reflections


Japan, headed by ViScount lshii, has been
hearty and sincere not only by the gov
eminent but also by the American people.
The cordial feelings have been strength
ened by the eloquent words in which the
viscount has asserted that his country is
eager to Join with the United States "in
securing for the world the blessings of
liberty, Justice and lasting peace
The commission, however, is here not
only for the purposes Of entertainment
and exchange Of expressions Of good will,
but. as Viscount Ishi has himself init
mated more than once, is here on serious
business in connection with war mat
tiers, and probably also on questions which
may we'll arise after the war. The one
point that more than any other has been
emphasized in this country just before the
coming of the commission by the unoffi-
cial spokesman of Japan, DR.. Iyenaga, is
that of the so-called paramount interests"
of Japan in the Far East, especially IN
China. Whether in the crisis of war the
tactful ambassador will think it wise not
TO discuss the question now, but to leave
it to a more propitious season, only the
event can show. But the question is one
that our government must meet either
now or later.
What paramount interests has Japan in
China, in fact? From her geographical
situation and the resulting intimate trade
relations that would normally exist be-
tween China and Japan, the prosperity of
Japan is probably more closely bound up
with conditions in China and the vel
fare of China than is the prosperity OF
any other nation. We should expect her,
therefore, to manifest the greatest interest
in China and to insist upon the enforce
ment there of her proper rights. But
keen interest confers no right, no para
mountcy. What are her proper rights?
At the close of the so-Japanese war
Japan took over from Russia her lease Of
the South Manchurian Railroad her lease
Of Port Arthur and the adjoining Lao
,ung Peninsula. The Chinese govern
ment believing that Japan had rescued
her from Russian aggression, consented
to this transfer of privileges that Russia
had by threats extorted from China.
Under the circumstances China probably
willingly enough recognized this trans
Ter. In consequence, it is entirely proper
Ior the United States and for other for
cign nations to recognize that in these
special concessions, granted willingly by
China, Japan has certain valid interests
more or less exclusive in their nature and
that therein her interests are paramount
from the international legal viewpoint
Beyond those concessions that were
granted willingly by China Japan has no
legal and no moral paramount interests.
In the province of Shantung, for in
stance, where the japanese drove out the
A Germans, they are claiming paramount
|I interests. The Germans eXtorted those
rights from the Chinese by force, as
highwayman takes the innocent way
farer's purse. Japan in taking this prov
ince from the Germans did so for her own
purposes. If, as Count Okuma definitely
promised, this province and the privileges
therein should be returned to China at the
close Of the war; China would presum-
ably willingly pay Japan literally for the
expense and trouble taken, and Japan
would set to the world an example Of just
and high-minded dealing comparable with
that of the United States in granting
Cuba its independence. So far, however,
if one may Judge from China's opinion,
Japan's domination Of Shantung is even
more rigid than that Of the Germans, and
.he has shown no intention for the last
10 years Of releasing her hold.
Two years ago Japan extorted, by an
u.imatum and threat of war, certain con-
ccssions from China, giving her precedence
in certain mines and certain privileges in
the province of Fukien and in Manchuria
and Eastern Mongolia that seriously
r,enaced China's sovereignty. The United
states government at the time formally
notified the governments Of both China
and Japan that so far as that eXtorted
treaty conficted with American interests
it would not be recognized by the United
States. So far, therefore, as that treaty
gave to Japan anything that may appear
as prior right or paramount interest, the
United States government is committed
against its recognition, and every fair
minded publicist would agree that Japan's
claim to paramountcy in those particulars
has absolutely no validity for America in
either law or morals. 1t is to be pre-
sumed that the United States government
still stands where it stood in the spring Of
1915.
Japan's policy Of advancing her in
terests in China by secrecy, duplicity and
force-al Of which on the authority Of
the japanese themselves were employed