Evening star., 1917-09-24
Mr.. LANSING LAUDS
JAPANESE MISSION
Says Conferences Here Have
Been Helpful to
Relations.
WSC0UNT ISHII RESERVED

Upon being pressed today for some
indication of the progress being made
in the conferences he has had with
Viscount Ishii, head of the Japanese
mission to the United States, Secretary
Lansing made this statement:
The conversations with Viscount
1shff have been of q most satisfactory
character and l think his visit to this
country has been most helpful in bene-
fitting relations between the two coun-
tries and in Strengthening the bonds
Of friendship"
This single sentence, plus the re-
marks Of Fiscount Ishii before the Ma
tional Press Club. much of which was
highly general. and a short address in
boston. which was even more general
official record SO far of the accomplish
ments and discussions of one Of the
most important. II not the most Inn
portant. many officials believe, of any
or the visits to this country Of foreign
missions.
Occasion of Highest Moment.
1t is no secret that the coming of the
Japanese mission was regarded as an
occasion of highest moment, not only
IN its bearing on the participation OF
Japan as an ally of the United States
and the entente in the world war, but
In Its significance touching the future
relations of this country and the fore
most power of the orient
But speculation regarding the pur-
poses and objects of the mission has
been frowned upon. For patriotic rea-
stained from such speculation. But
there have been few attempts to fndi-
cate the progress of the negotiations,
and these were referred to by viscount
ishii IN his Press Club address. Mem
bers Of the mission have noted these
specula tions, and Viscount Ishii re-
marked IN his Press Club talk:
:! have not told any one what have
said In the pleasant conversations I have
had with the officials in Washington, and
do not believe for moment that the
high officials have told any one either. Yer
these informants have the whole story
and tell you just what We are AFTER
Did Not Correct Guesses.
But Viscount Ishii did not seek to cor
what the mission did come for Neither
has the State Department given any
mixing OF the purpose of the visit of
the mission. That is why the brief an
nouncement of Secretary Lansing, de-
livered to newspaper men this morning
takes on added significance. Especially
is this true when it is taken in connec,
tion with the remarks Of the head of
the mission in connection with at
tempts he charges have been made to
foment misunderstanding, strife and
dissension between Japan and the
United States.
Not all this propaganda attributed tn
Germany has been in progress in the
United States. Viscount Ishii has
stated publicly that the same sort of
veiled tnsinuations directed against the
United States have been spread in Ger
n ny. 1t Is reasonable to believe that
the mead or the mission has directed
the attention Of the State Department
to this fact.
Twisted to Suit Germany.
Certainly what little Viscount Ishii
has said publicly has led many Amer
leans, who hitherto have thought little
about oriental problems. to realize that
much OF the matter printed here about
Japan's alleged intentions in regard to
Japan and China, Japan and California
and Japan and her cooperation with
the allies has been purposely twisted
to meet the ends of GERMANY
Despite the silence that has invested
the Japanese missions stay it is certain
that when it leaves there will be in MANY
quarters OF this country a higher regard
for Japan than there has been before.
The conduct of the Japanese mission
different from that of any of the other
allied missions. who sought to take not
only public officials but the American
people into their confidence, whose mem
bers saw newspaper men almost daily.
and who not only expressed their view
point to the correspondents, but submit
ted themselves to a fire of questions upon
every conceivable topic
Delicacy of Visit Realized.
The delicacy Of the visit Of the far
east representatives was realized bv
them. apparently, in their decision to
deal only with officials of this govern
ment. and their confidence, as a mat
ter of courtesy. has not been violated
by these officials. Therefore Secretary
Iansing's statement that the visit Of
the mission has been most helpful in
countries and in Strengthening the
bonds of friendship" is taken as reas-
suring and significant
So far as the cooperation of Japan
with the allies is concerned the head
OF the mission was most emphatic and
frank in his profession of the desire
of Japan to cooperate to the fullest
with the allied nations
The way for the fullest acceptance of
this assurance already had been payed
by other missions. especially by the
Italian and the Russian envoys. Mem
bers Of those missions told Americans
what they had not generally realized,
that the success of Russia's resistance
to Germany early in the war had been
due largely to Japan's cooperation in
sending supplies and ammunition to
the Russian army as fast as the trans
siberian railroad could carry them Her
navy has aided the allies. and she gave
assurance of the participation of her
troops. 1t was then stated, on the east
ern front when they were needed.