New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
BY Edward Marshall

Is
ness Is tho distinguished Wis
AZ count Shibusawa.
Among tho wealthy people of
Japan and one Of her most careful
students Of Industrial and political
problems, he spoke TO me to-day, ap-
parently. with absolute frankness in
his apartment at one of New York's
great hotels, declaring without the
slightest hesitation that war between
the United States and Japan Is as "un-
thinkable" 81 the President has said
he holds war between Britain and
America to be.
He Is in the United States not
officially as a delegate to tho Confer
cnce on the Limitation Of Armament,
but certainly as an observer whose re-
ports to his home government and
moro especially to the people Of his
nation will be Of the utmost impor-
tance.
The apartment in which ws talked
had been painfully American when he
moved into the suite Of which it Is the
drawing room-bare, coldly decorated.
But the love of all Japanese for
flowers evidently is strong in the heart
Of this kindly faced, intelligent old
man, and everywhere were blossoms.
They made the room bower. Nine
growing, towering plants stood on
tables, the mantel shelf and floor, and
in addition there were half dozen
vases of cut flowers.
The viscount Is unassuming in his
manner and entirely conventional in
dress, wearing black frock coat, q
white, low turned-down collar and black
bow tie, with ends carefully tucked
under.
His face is that Of a man who has
lived carefully for many years with
out even minor self-indulgence. 1t is
not particularly characteristic Of his
race. Indeed, study Of it made me
think that had it not been for the
typical though wholly straight eyes it
never would have suggested to me his
japanese nativity.
Viscount Insists That
He Is Not q Statesman
~ am not, you must understand"
the viscount said to me, smilingly, "a
statesman. I am a business man and
banker, but retired seven years ago,
and am endeavoring to make the years
Of my retirement useful, not only to
my own country but to the world.
"If could make them useful to the
United States, the nation which, as all
Japanese are shown by their histories,
has been a great and daring leader of
thought and originator Of democracy,
/ should be very glad indeed.
"For six years have been without
any special business and during those
six years have become particularly
interested in the relationships be-
tween my country and America.
"Probably shall not attend in
Washington during the entire length
of the conference. But I shall try
while I am in the United States to
gather information which will be valu-
able to my country and my country
men when return to my home.
"The situation, I truly feel, is a
tragic one. The former relationships
between Japan and the United States
were beautiful. The present relation
ships, tinged as they are with doubt
and distrust on both sides, are deplor-
able.
"What has brought this about7
~ believe the fault lies with both
countries. Neither can be blamed
solely.
"The hopeful thing is that, you may
be certain, the Japanese stand ready
to remedy all the faults On their part,
to correct all past mistakes.
'I do not speak for my government,
but / can speak for the heart Of the
Japanese people. They are more than
anxious to correct all their past mis-
takes.
"You note that accept, for Japan,
the commission Of grave faults. 1t is
not impossible that Americans also
have fallen into some slight errors Of
procedure and Interpretation.
'tIt is a comfort to me to reflect that
in America, as in Japan, exists an in
tellectual group determined to bend
every effort toward the correction Of
all Misunderstanding of this sort.
"If we could but make these two
small groups large ones, in other
words, if we could get all or majority
Of the intellectual people in both coun-
tries to study the great problem which
has risen, am convinced that within
timo extremely short, we would find
that there is no problem, actually, in
existence, or, at least, that there is
none which might not easily be solved.
Influences Are at Work to
Strain Nations Relations
"Certain influences surely are at
work both in your country and in my