Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-28
CALL JAPAN'SLAND
| ISSUE SUBTERFUCE
u. S. Officials See Smoke
Screen to Shield Plans in
China and Siberia
ANTI-AMERlCAN AGITATION
BY q Stdr Correspondent


fornia land problem. This is admittedly
one Of the most pcrpleXing questions the
State Department has faced in recent
months, particularly since the relations
of the two governments may at any time
become strained
Whether the food of anti American
statements. speeches aud newspaper
comment in Japan is part of an organ
lied propaganda fostcrod by an lmp'r,
ialist group. or whether 1t is nathral
consequence Of recent developments, IL
q question whose answer. il discovered,
Is not being disclosed.
As the japanese Government annnr-
emily is making little Ctt.mDt to coun'
teract IL, and as full and free tranSnh>.
sion Of news dispatches Is permitted
over government wir">. TIE
propaganda thcory is gaining in favor
here. I
There is one saving factor IN si'no'
tion that othrrwi'N might h" conSu;
cred acute. ThRt is thn d'sNoejtj"0 &
Secretary Colby md his Ass StantS 7"
view the matters In cNntrnN""~v 'r"iouS-
ly but sanelv. refusing to h""nn" 'N"r-
cised over roeSihn ev"rtpatt'"N or CN-
cited over press djsnntrhr~ from Toxic.
Negotiations Not Satisfactory
Officials here proceed on the theory
that Il takes two 10 start = quarrel, and
that when onr PARTY to a droate grows
obstrenerous Il j. 4 good time for tho
other tn rorain calm.
At tho same time tho fact i not
blinked that current negotiations ar" not
procecdiuC 80 satisfactorily OS might ~
wished. Roncnth tho surface ~ dplo-
matte amenities nrc fundamental dif-
ferenccs nc national nolicy and back vt
these racial distinctions as broad ant
dpcp rs tho ocean which Sc0aratcs IN"
two peoples.
There is n growing suSnicion hcrc
that Janon's nurnoS" IN nreSSing for
solution of rho long standing rontrn.
versy over California's DETERMINATIONS
law is not unrelated ~ Our own repre-
eeptatiops with respect to tho OCCUPANCY
OF Shantunc and SnChalin island and
the nrogram of .Taran to extend her
sphcrc Of influence in tho Far East.
1t Is fe't that Japan IS throwing
out a smoke screen IN tac California
d;fHcultv IN corcna' her nlans else
where. and TINT when tho time Iu'
compromises arrive. she will insist on
concessions in ono place or another a.
the price of her friendship.
Crisis in 1913 Settled Amcably
While the dangers of such a course
are seen plainly by officials who make
diplomacy n profession. It Is recalled
that once before, in 1913. there was
a near break Of relations between the
United States and Janan without scri
ous results. This difficulty also having
its origin in California's attitude to-
ward japanese immigrants. was after
wards overcome without hard feeling
on either side.
II Jaran is seeking selfish and i'm
perialistic ends in her present move
ments, her course would not be in
consistent with her past. authorities
" hold II is pointed out that from the
time she threw off the garments Of her
ancient civilization and donned the
habiiments of the new. she has per
sistently and steadily pursued a policy
of expansion and aggression, with
Chinese and Russian territory rs her
special field Of oDcration.
Diplomatic differences between tnr
United States and Japan date back
several years. They became acut" at
the time japan made her historic
twenty one demands on China. The
United States took the position then,
and has adhered 70 it since. that these
demands constituted violation Of
Chinese integrity and disregarded the
I open door policy t0 which all civilized
nations had subscribed.
Shantung Issue Crops Up Again
Before and since. other matters have
arisen to cudanger the amicabo rela e
tions of the two governments. Nogo-
tiations at present rr,ute to the CALI
fornia problem. which is being dis
cussed Informally in 4 series of CON
ferences between State Department or- =
cials and Ambassador Shidehara, and
Japan's policy in the Far East, which
A.. - l., Il