The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-07
Opinion Content to Leave
Eastern Problems SOlu-
ton to His Judgment
JAPAN REGARDED
AS FAITHFUL ALLY
Prospect of Rapid Advance by Germans
Across European Russia Regarded
with Skepticism-Other Stories Are
Derided as Bogies.

LONDON. March The eyes OF all
the world are turned TO Washington 1t
has been recognized here that the prob
lem in regard to Japan, now before
President Wilson, is III some respects the
most difficult which the war has yet pro
during interest depend upon America
decision
1t is a mere bald statement OF fact to
say that the enlightened public opinion
Of Great Britain is in this grave crisis
we'll content to leave the solution III
President Wilson's hands His moral
ascendency has never been so well es-
| tablishcd
The curtain which hangs over the Dip
| lomatic consultations has hardly been
lifted for the public eye, and so far as
press comment IS concerned there never
was perhaps Il crisis OF which so little
was heard in the forum OF public opinion
The British official attitude is estab-
lished within certain definite lines, drawn
from the starting point of the Anglo
| Japanese alliance The criticism of that
instrument which found expression in
some political quarters in England when
il was arranged, is now necessarily ruled
ont Of court, for Japan has not only
proved herself a faithful and useful ally
but from a British point of view treaties
are more than scraps Of paper
70 think that the possible developments
in the Far East are not viewed with some
misgivings would be to assume that the
British democracy had abdicated the right
to think for itself. but the argument,
that are being employed t. remove thos,
doubts are undoubtedly exercising som,
effect Foremost among them is the plea
first advanced from Toxic. that Japar
must be trusted This has due weight
The arguments Tor intervention, based OF
practical and strategical grounds, cal
hardly be said to carry entire conviction
! though they are strongly exposed IN VAR
Gus organs OF such different line as tn
/ Daily News and the Daily Mail neg
Interpretation OF General Foch's idea, a
/ outlined in u recent interview, is one tia
t assumes his belief in a long, protracte'
\ war, with America and Japan, the latte
/ possibly aided by China, mobili2ing grea
armies to resist the Teutonic advance east
ward.
The rapid advance by Germany acres
European Russia into Siberia which ha
4 been forecast by some writer's here. wit
the Teutonic acquisition OF the Tran.
Siberian railroad and war stores at Hal
= bin and Nladivostok and the eventua
: appearance of German U-boats in I'll
: Pacific is derided as bogy in other qua,
e tiers, where 1t Is held that General Foch
y strategic vision embraces not so niue
/, present possibilities, as the development
e OF the distant future.
Similarly the stories OF hundreds
!, thousands OF German and Austrian pri
d o0ers III Siberia who are only waiting d
& opportunity 10 take possession OF Il
d country are taken with several grains
? salt. The case for what The Manchest,
; Guardian calls not a violent attack upo
u Russia, but friendly approach and c
le operation against Germany rather tha