Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-17

Huntington Wilson treats OF the
position Of Japan in the world war as
follows:
While thus far revealing nothing not
already known or surmised and dis
counted by those who follow such mat
ters, the bolsheviki publication of for
eign office archives affords school Of
practical diplomacy which should be
useful to a public too prone to con-
ceive of the conduct Of foreign rela-
tons as mysterious far off affair hard
ly touching the real interests of the
average citizens life-than which
nothing is further from the truth.
What is published in regard to the
Russo Japanese understanding of last
year hardly justifies the rather sensa-
tional caption given it by the editors Of
state papers of Petrograd 1t does bear
Interestingly upon the long known fact
that Russia and Japan had agreed to
support one another as against third
parties in the assertion of such spec
ial interests in China" as the two pow
ers might mutually agree to claim as
growing out Of their relations to that
empire. That such an understanding
should have been entered into illus
trates again that curious sensitiveness
as to their position in the far cast
which has passed Japanese political
thought for some years. The feeling
referred to was quite overdrawn so far
as it affected the United States. Amer
lea is not China's keeper, and while In
no wise disposed to abandon the legiti-
innate commercial and other rights and
the assurance Of fair play for our citi-
zens in China, it has not been the poll
cy of the United States to obstruct
Japan's natural and legitimate inter-
ests in China, whatever Japanese jim
goes may have said to the contrary.
With the fall Of Russian imperialism
fell also the exceedingly convenient
Russo japanese understanding. In
stantly there was neceSsitated Il re-
orientation Of Tokio's foreign policy. 1t
had to look further west. and the first
result was the American japanese
understand embodied in the lshii-
Lansing notes. Now. altho the Lansing
note only recognized undoubted facts
and need not be given interpretations
Of any alarming comprehensivencss,
nevertheless American official recog-
milton of Japan's special interests in
China thus became something of great
ly increased value to the Japanese gov
ernnent and therefore the power to
give or withhold it was one Of our ma
tional diplomatic assets of no mean
value Hence it has been very properly
assumed that the Ishii-Lansing ey
change Of notes was not nudum
pactum. or contract without considera-
ton. In specializing upon the probable
nature of the consideration from Japan
which must have moved the govern
ment at Washington. it had been as
sumed that some valuable participation
in the war. and probably in the form
of a big allotment Of japanese shipping
for the allied cause had entered into
the understanding, especially as it was
intimatcd that the United States was
also to assign to Japan a certain
amount of steel. now so valuable an
article in our war preparation. 1t was
disappointing later to read reports that
Japans possible contribution to allied
shipping promised to be rather trivial,
If this be so. one must look elsewhere
for the consideration which moved Mr..
Lansing. The japanese special mission
evidently got what it wanted. The In
1lstral and financial representatives
from Japan, who came TO make studies
in This county, doubtless carried back
useful in industrial and
commercial competition. The repre-
sentatives of the Japanese Parliament,
lately here. will no doubt carry back
useful impressions. All these things we
heartily hope may be conducive to mu-
tual good and still better understand