The midland journal., 1917-10-12
MONROE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAR EAST
visCount Ishii Says Japan Will
Not Permit Aggression
..HANDs OFF" THE POLICY
Special Envoy Declares Door OF Trade
is Always Open And That His
Government Welcomes
Competition.

New York.-Proclaiming Monroe
Doctrine of the Far East, Vscount
Ishii, head of the Japan mission to
the United States, warned the nations
of the world that his country would
not tolerate aggressions against the
territory or independence of China.
At the same time he pledged Japan
not to attempt similar aggressions on
her part.
Speaking at forma! dinner in hon
or of the Imperial envoys' visit to New
York the Ambassador of Emperor Yos-
hihito outlined publicly for the first
time since he set foot on American
soil the policy of his Government as it
relates to China.
circumstances for which we were
in no sense responsible gave us GER
tain rights on Chinese territory" Wis
count Ishii said, "but at no time in
the past and at no time in the future
DO we or will we seek to take territory
from China or to despoil China of her
rights"
Then with dramatic earnestness he
expounded the "hands off" policy of
his Government I'VE wish to be and
always to continue to be-" he de-
clared, "the sincere friend and helper
of our neighbor, for we are more in
terested than any one else, except
China, in good government there. Only
we must at all times for self-protection
prevent other nations from doing
what we have no right to do. We not
only will not seek to assail the in
tegrity or the sovereignty Of China,
but will eventually be prepared to de-
fend and maintain the integrity and
independence of China against any
aggressor. For we know that our own
landmarks would be threatened by
any outside invasion or interference
in China
While he boldly warned the world
against any attempt to invade the
rights of the republic of the Far East,
Viscount Ishii promised with equal
ea-nectness that the door to legitimate
trade in China never would be closed
by Japan This declaration was
cheered by the 1000 public men, bank
ers, merchants and captains of indus
try who heard him.
Viscount Ishii attributed to German
Vaccinations "sinister rumors of op-
preston or the false suggestion of a
policy directed against China" when
ever Japan or America appeared to
make progress in that country.
The Envoy declared emphatically
that the "gentlemen's agreement" en-
tered into between Elihu Root, when
Secretary of State, and Ambassador
Takahira should be sufficient guar
antee of continued friendly relations
between the two nations.
Gentlemen, Japan is satisfied with
this" he exclaimed, "are your"
Referring to the alliance between
| America and Japan in the war, he said
in closing: "It is not conceivable that
you of America or we of Japan, be-
cause of false cry of unstable peace,
can change the course set by star.
1t is not conceivable that for some
petty gain secured by the sacrifice of
principle at the price of honor lost we
can be brought to swerve from our
purpose, let fall the standard of right
or break the bonds of friendship. 1t
is not conceivable that America and
/ Japan, our ideals one, our purpose
7 4fxed, can fail in this great common
undertaking.