The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-06
U. S. AND JAPAN


Continued from Page One.l
municating to me your understanding
of the agreement reached by us in our
recent conversation touching the ques-
tions of mutual interests to our gov
ernment's relation to the republic OF
China.
Il am happy to be able to confirm
to YOU, under authorization of my
government, the understanding in
question"
He then repeated the verbal inter-
view and Secretary Lansing's outline
of the understanding. Secretary Ian
sing discussing the service performed
by Ishii and other Japanese COM
missionerss said:
There had unquestionably been
growing up between the peoples of
the two countries a feeling of suspic-
ion as to the motives inducing the
activities of the other in the far east
"a feeling which, if unchecked,
promised to develop a serious situa-
ton.
"Rumors and reports of improper
intentions were increasing and were
more and more believed" he said.
Legitimate commercial and indus
trial enterprises without Interior
motive were presumed to have po-
litical significance, with the result
that opposition to those enterprises
were aroused in the other country.
The attitude of constraint and
doubt thus created was fostered and
encouraged by the campaign of false
hood, which for a long time had been
adroitly and secretly carried on by
Germans, whose government as a part
of its foreign policy desired especially
to so ALLEVIATE this country and Japan
that it would be at the chosen time no
difficult task to cause a rupture of
their good relations.
Unfortunately there were people in
both countries, many of whom were
entirely honest in their beliefs, who
accepted every false rumor as true
and aided the German propaganda by
declaring that their own government
should prepare for the conflict, which
they asserted was inevitable, that the
interests of the two nations in the far
east were hostile and that every ac-
tivity of the other country in the Pa
cific had a sinister purpose.
Fortunately this distrust was not
so general in either the United States
or Japan as to affect the friendly re-
lations of the two governments But
there is no doubt that the feeling of
suspicion was increasing and the I'M
true reports were receiving more and
more credence in spite of the earnest
efforts which were made on both
sides of the Pacific to counteract a
movement which would jeopardize the
Mission Did Good Work.
THE visit of Viscount Ishii and his
colleagues has accomplished a great
change of opinion in this country.
They cleared the diplomatic atmos-
phere of the suspicion which has been
so carefully spread by our enemies
and by misguided or over-zealous
people in both-~countries. In a few
days the propaganda of years has
been undone and both nations are now
able to see how near they came to
being led into the trap which had been
skilfully set Sfor them.
The principal result of the nego-
tiations was the mutual understand
ing which was reached as to the prin-
ciples governing the policies of the
two governments in relation to China.
The removal of doubts and suspicious
and the mutual declaration of the
new doctrine as to the far east would
be enough to make the visit of the
Japanese commission to the United
States historic and memorable but it
accomplished further purpose which
is of special interest to the world at
this time, in expressing Japan's ear
nest desire to cooperate with this
country in waging war against the
German government
Combine Against Germany.
AT the present time it is inexpedient
to make public the details of these
CONVERSATIONS out IL may be said that
this government has been gratified by
the assertions of Viscount Ishii and his
colleagues that their government de-
s1reS to do their part in the suppress
sion of Prussiap militarism and were
eager to cooperate in every practical
way to that end. It might be added.
however. that complete and satisfac-
tory understandings upon the matter
or naval cooperation in the Pacific
for the purpose of attaining the COM
mon object against Germany and her
allies have been reached between the
representative of the imperial Japan
navy who is attached to the special
mission of Japan and the representa-
tive of the United States navy"
China Advised of Pact.
Picking Nov. 6.-The Chinese for
eign office was formally advised to-
day that Secretary of State Lansing
and Count Ishii, special commissioner
to the United States. had signed an
agreement on Friday recognizing
Japan's special interests in China and
reaffirming the principle of the open
door.