Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-13
WILSON FIRM AGAINST INVASION
BY ARMED FORCE OF
JAPANESE.
FIRST BREAK BETWEEN
U. S. AND OUR ALLIES
Battle of Diplomats to Ensue Before
Question is Setted-America, it is
minated, Demands Assurance OF
Democratic Aims Of Toxic Govern
ment-lnvasion Effects Feared.

| ize the action of the administration
| in the Japanese Siberian matter
marks complete change in Amer
! icas war diplomacy. Heretofore the
| administration has been content to
| follow in general the foreign poll
! cies of the entente allies. England
| and France, for instance. have DOM
| mated the policies of the democrat
! ic world toward Russia in the last
year and America has permitted
herself to subscribe to their general
! attitude. Toward the Central
Powers, America also has in the
| main and until recently followed
the policies laid down by England
| and France.
The present instance, however.
/ offers an outright exception to this
procedure America is for the first
time striking out her own course.
She has taken a definite position in
opposition to that of the British,
French and japanese governments.
| In this sense the incident will be
watched with great interest by stu
dents of diplomacy 1t is obvious the
results of such a struggle Of diplo-
matte wills cannot fail to make his
tory.
Lord Cecil Sounds Out L. S.
In ali probability this morning
interview with Lord Robert Cecil.
British minister of blockade. re-
garding England's attitude toward
japanese Intervention in Siberia will
make it necessary for the state de-
partment to give out the text of
Americas recent note to Japan on
the Siberian issue. While there
seems to be some doubt relative to
whether Lord Cecil spoke officially
for the British government, he could
not we'll have spoken without its
cognizance, and his statements evil
IDENTIFY were made with the intention
Of sounding out America regarding
the strength and details of her po-
sition
The natural answer for America
to make would be to publish the text
Of her note to Japan. which must
have covered the situation fully and
stated her position accurately. 1t is
impossible, Of course, to obtain an
linking of the text Of this note at
the State department, but it would
not be difficult from an analysis of
the factors involved to make fair
ly accurate guess regarding the
main points in our present policy
toward Japanese Intervention in ST.
IBERIA.
L. S. Opposed to Policy.
bo -
volved are the Russian situation and
the anti-imperialistic war aims of
America and the entente allies. A
third governing factor might be the
validity of the arguments advanced
for the immediate necessity of mill
tary action in Siberia Starting with
these, and examining the interna-
tional situation candidly with res
pect to each other. the conclusion
is unavoidable that Americas recent
statement OF Far Eastern policy
must have run squarely counter to
the policy limited at in repeated press
dispatches from London. Paris and
Toxic, and advocated this morning
by Lord Cecil.
1t is fair to assume. on the basis
of such an analysis, that America
without reservation. placed herself
in opposition to Japan's contemplate
ed action in Siberia in view Of the
serious effect which this action in
evitably would have upon the deli
cate Russian situation, and in view,
furthermore, of the obvious fact the
democratic war aims Of America and
the Entente Allies would be COM
| promised irretrievably by the hasty
intervention of japan in Siberia
Unable to See Need for Action.
Reported hints in the press that
America had requested Of Japan as
surance of her democratic in
tentions and guarantees relative to
the future territorial disposition Of
Siberia would give color to the be-
lief of the note recently dispatched
to Takio from the state department
also contained reference TO this
phase of the question. 1t Is not
thought, however, these references
could have been in the nature of a
compromise on the main issue Of
our objection, and there could be no
basis for the belief that any guar
antees however fair or ironclad
would effect the fundamentals of
this objection.
With regard to the third factor
above mentioned, there seems to be
little disposition In Washington to
| credit the immedl,te necessity for
military action in Siberia.