New-York tribune., 1917-07-23
American Opinion the Prey
OF Japan's Publicity Men
No Dual Allegiance in the Service Which They Render
Here in Discussions of Far Eastern Questions
The Coming Ishi Mission
By GARDNER L. HARDING

The American people are shortly 60
ing to receive on terms, we hope, Of
the most spontaneous friendship and
cordial good will diplomatic mission
from Japan. This mission is to be
headed by Baron Ishii, ex-Ambassador
to Paris and one of the most distin-
guished and capable statesmen of the
japanese Empire. Our State Depart
ment has the big job ahead of it Of
telling Baron Ishii what Americans
really want in the Far East. It's q
whopping undertaking On the one
hand, Europe is swallowing our men,
our money and our inordinate, high
pressure public interest. On the other,
we have necessarily heard from the
Pacific side of the world during the
last few months Of Japanese policy, a
japanese version Of events and Japa-
nese insistence on japanese para
mountcy.
There Is an American view OF what
ought to be in the Far East, and on
that general aspect the American State
Department has the responsibility OF
replying to Japan in terms Of coherent
American policy. But 1t must be ad-
mitted that the American people haven't
a very firm grasp Of 1t. We have a
committee ON public information, II Is
true, but, doubtless for no fault OF lts
own, it has been as dumb on our for
eign policies as a drum with hole
in IL.
News Called Distorted
Very few Americans know how far
their news from Japan-how far the
very impressions they are now getting
about the purpose Of the Ishii mission
are impregnated with the color OF
Japanese, and not American, policy.
There Is nothing surprising that we
should get so much pro-Japanese news,
nor ANYTHING really disquieting IN
Japan's earnest and constant solicitude
for our proper" information. The
mischief comes when IL is all so con-
fused that we cannot detect AMEN
policy from our own, and when We
allow widely circulated alien versions
OF matters Of vital consequence TO US
to stir up American public opinion III
such way as to tie the hands Oh our
State Department. Especially does the
mischief come when so many Americans
resolutely refuse to believe that the
Japanese government does these things
No candid friend of japan can miss IT,
and no honest well-wisher OF good re-
lations between Japan and America has
a right to ignore il.
Those of US who know the leaders OF
the two japanese publicity bureaus
here. DR.. Toyikichi Iyenaga, director
of the East and West News Bureau IN
New York, and X. X, Kawakami, VINO
holds the same post in the Pacific News
Bureau in San Francisco, consider that
this country is extremely fortunate IN
having them here. But they are not,
and they are not meant to be, citizens
with a dual allegiance. Japan is much
better served by their presence here
than is America. If this were not 50,
they would not be here.
The result of their cumulative EFFORT
is vast and unceasing. They do not at
tempt to mislead the American public;
nothing of the kind; they play the
game like gentlemen. But it is jap
anese game they play. There is no
major event in the Pacific but that
they interpret" il for the several
thousand odd newspapers, the learned
societies. the Japan Society members
and the many private individuals who
receive their extremely efficient and
successful several news services.
All Japanese Write Alike
They have never supported the Amer
lean government on an important issue
against their own. Neither has Adaehi
Kinnosuke, Chugo Ohira, DR.. Jikichi
Takamine or any other of the inde-
fatigably recurrent band of free-lauce
Japanese contributors to the American
press, who take up the story whore
their principals leave it of. These men
may be all strangers to one another: