New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

band themselves into one great league for
the preservation of the permanent peace
of the world. Such league would settle
the question Of the command of the seas
once and for all, in the first place. And
if there be criminal power which would
dare disturb the peace of the world, then
the league should unite in fighting it
through an embargo on supplies and other
effective means
"He said to me at tho time: y presume
you know Marquis Okuma intimately.
Would it not be an excellent idea to bring
this matter to his attention your re-
turn home and, if possible, persuade him
to have Japan propose the league of six
powers?' l told him that / thought the
idea admirable, that l agreed with him en-
trely, and that Immediately upon my
turn to Japan l should do everything for
the success of his suggestion. But I point
ed out that the plan would never succeed
unless America would respond, and asked
him if there was a reasonable probability
of favorable action on the part of Amer
ica. The doctor told me then that he could
not make definite assertion on that point.
AS for the things which japan would pro-
pose at the peace conference or upon which
she would venture to express her hopes
they are almost limitless in number. But
just what would be the attitude of the
peace conference toward such suggestions
from Japan is thing which is difficult for
one of us outsiders to predict. Speaking
frankly, rather doubt if Japan would be
able to gain much for herself even if she
were to push herself into the centre of
discussions of prime Importance. 1t would
be difficult for her to secure the command
ing position of originating and advancing
measures. In short, Japan is likely to add
her consent and give her support to all
the major propositions presented to the
conference by the great powers, except on
such matters and such points she
feels called upon to protest against.
"On the question of the league of
tons presented to the conference by Pres
ident Wilson, the point calling for q deal
of thought and care is Just how far Japan
can go and what are the views of our gov
ernment about it. Take for example the
matter of shipping. Japan has paid spe-
cial attention to the extension of her ship
ping, both her people and her government
having enthusiastically joined in the eff
fort to develop this particular business,
and, the result of the war, her ship
ping business has developed still more.
Now, just what attitude would the peace
conference take toward this exceptional
growth of our shipping activities? l pre-
sumo this sort of detail would hardly come
up before the conference. Nevertheless,
it is weighty question
"And what disposition Is the peace con-
ference going to make of iron, cotton, wool
and other raw materials which our country
either does not produce in sufficient guam
tity to satisfy the home demands or which
she does not produce at all? What is the
attitude of the conference toward the in
ternational disposition of such raw ma
terials?
"Then, how will the money relations
change? Will the old England the-worlds-
financial-centre scheme stand as of yorc
Or will other centres arise and divide the
power?
''Whether America and Japan shall be
suffered to cooperate to collide in the
future is the thing which should command
the utmost consideration of us all. The
most vital of all is the consideration and
settlement of the problems in the Far East
more especially the Chinese question: In
/ that most earnestly hope that the pow
crs will hold to the policy of fulfilling both
! IN letter and in spirit the repeated Joint
declarations of the United States and ia
pan regarding China. The territorial in
tcgrity of China, equal opportunity and the
so-caled open door policy are of course
the fundamental basic policies. Meanwhile
we Japanese should maintain our para
mount position there under all circum-
stances in precisely the same sense as
the special position of the United States
in Mexico"