Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-14
ISHII-LANSING NOTE
 CLEARS JAP SITUATION
Chinese Sovereignty and Return of Tsingtau Assured by
 Agreement.

Tokio, Nov. 3O-(Correspondence of the Associated Press. )-Japan can do nothing likely to infringe upon the sovereignty of China and it seems cer- tain that Tsingtau, the German port captured by the Japanese, will be re- turned to China and that the Japan csc will be obliged to withdraw their troops from Hankow, as result of the recent agreement between the United States and Japan under which the United States recognizes Japan's special interests in China, declares Baron K. Takahashi, formerly Japan csc minister of finance and leading member of the Seiyukai party. This agreement was signed by Viscount Ishii and Secretary of tSate Lansing at Washington early in November.
 The special interests of Japan ac- knowledged in the combined state ment include nothing more than the rights hitherto acquired by Japan, Baron Takahashi adds in commenting on the agreement. "Hitherto," he says, American doubted our attitude toward China and was always watch. ing it, but by virtue of this agreement she will give up her careful watch. In this respect the new agreement is better than none."
 Marquis Okufna, formerly premier, characterizes the agreement as sig nal success for Viscount Ishii, and adds that itroffcially recognizes facts which already existed. That view point also is taken by some of the leading newspapers such as the Her aid of Asia, which asserts that the notes exchanged between Secretary Lansing and Viscount Ishii merely put on paper what already was in practical existence," the result of which will be the clarifying of the whole political atmosphere in the Far East. Hope is expressed by the Her aid that the agreement will have a beneficial effect upon "a small but very active group of men, mostly Americans, who have constituted themselves champions of China against the alleged Japanese aggres- sion, and who have endangered the good understanding between Japan and America by disseminating dis. torted information concerning Japan ese policy in China"
 Asserting that American commer- cial interests in China have been and always will be safeguarded by Japan, the Asahi, one of the leading Tokio dailies, declares that by the agree ment "China has gained most and America has gained more than Ja- pan"
 The Japan Times says that the sit uation which existed prior to the agreement might have led to serious developments between Japan and America which would have benefited their common enemy, Germany. "The Ishii-L Lansing notes clear away all chancellor international forces of evil to do their work. We regard these notes as the most important docu- ments ever exchanged between the United States and Japan and as a vast improvement on any internation- al agreement hitherto covering the Far East"
 Some criticism is expressed by the Nichi- Nichi, which declares that the substance of the new note is rather disadvantageous to Japan and that "the United States seems to have succeeded in interfering Japan's ac- tion in China" The paper points out that there are no understandings in the note about an "open door" terri torial integrity and equal opportunity in Canada, Mexico or South America, which are close to the United States, and says:
 "Japan cannot put in her oar in the settlement of American affairs, but America is free to interfere with Ja- pans activities in China. In short, it is foolish agreement, guaranteeing as it does America's influence in China's while at the same time it places still further restrictions on Japan. Japan and China must al- ways act under the supervision of the United States, while the American government is free to to do whatever it pleases in other American coun- tries"