Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-04
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Toxic, Friday, March 2.-Thc dec.
!aration of the Japanese government
through Foreign Minister Viscount
Montono that Japan has received nc
proposition from Mexico or Germany
to join in a possible war against the
United States, was supplemented to.
day in a statement made to the AS.
sociated Press on behalf of the gov
ernment by Kijuro Shidehara, vice
foreign minister.
"We were greatly surprised to hear
of the German proposal" said he
TNEa Gannst inc giEs, 81 eruanS
is thinking about to conceive that she
could possibly involve us in war with
the United states merely by asking
Mexico. This is too ridiculous fol
words. Needless to say Japan re.
mains faithful to her allies"
Japan Entirely Friendly.
NJ. Shidehara declared that the re-
lations between Japan and America
were entirely friendly and that Japan
hoped to discover a fundamental so
luton of the problems affecting Jap
anese residents in the United States
but had not yet found it.
The Associated Press correspondent
called the attention of the vice foreign
minister to the comments Of several
Japanese newspapers, including one
from the Osaka, referring to the al
legged menace of the increasing navy
of the United States and to the pos
sibility of a future war between Japan
and that country; also to another COM
ment Condemning anti-Japanese leg
islatiOn in America and urging the
creation of identical interests with
China by cooperation. as a means of
improving the chances of solving all
the problems which, continuing, might
lead to war.
NJ. Shidehara replied that the Jap
anese press did not represent the opin-
ion of responsible Japanese leaders
nor influence the government whose
constant desire was friendship with
America.
Jap Mexican Relations.
Concerning Mexico, he said the Jap
anese relations with that country were
normal. He understood that some
Japanese mechanics sailed on the
Kotohira Maru with machinery chief
ly designed for Mexican paper mills.
Mexican agents, he said, were unable
to purchase rifles or war munitions
in japan.
Col. Manuel Perez Romero, minis
ter of the Mexican de facto govern
ment to Japan, today denied to the
Associated Press correspondent all
knowledge of German conspiracy. He
declared that he had not conducted
any negotiations on the subject and
that he believed Japan wanted only
friendship and increased commercial
relations with the United States.
Tcrauchi Government Safe.
Although some groups of Japanese
profess pro-German sentiments. dip
lomatic representatives of the entente
powers here express the conviction the
Terauchi government not only is
faithful to the entente but essentially
prudent in all affairs of state. seek
ing to avoid new difficulties in the
present world crisis. The Associated
Press correspondent is informed that
Germany unsuccessfully attempted
two years ago to detach Japan from
the entente and that Japan promptly
informed her allies of it. In diplo-
matte circles the latest German con-
spiracy is characterized as childish
and incomprehensible.
Empress Sadako today contributed
100, 900 yen to the national fund for
the i'll and wounded of the entente
powers.
The Japanese press has for some
time been urging the United States to
declare war on Germany and express
ing wonderment at what it describes
as the hesitation of President viii.
son." who, the newspapers say may
be trying to avoid the responsibility
Of beginning hostilities