New-York tribune., 1921-08-16
Militariists i'm
Japan Against
Arms Council
Washington Learns Nippon
ese Are Being Told Amer
ica Is Seeking to Give
Them Worst of Bargain
Attitude of June. Changes
Alarmists Endeavor to Stop
Cry of Mikado's People
Against Army-Navy Cost
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Aug, 15.--Adviccs
from japan that the military party
there is seeking to stir up the country
against substantial concessions at the
coming Conference on Disarmament
and Pacific and Far Eastern questions
reached Washington to-day.
The information is the more disturb
ing to those counting on public opinion
IN all countries forcing all conferees to
get together" for the reason that up
to june /, according to the best in
formation here, there was very strong
desire fox reduction in armament
manifested in the Island Empire.
Before that date, it is said. more
than 100 disarmament mass meetings
had been held in Japan and the mill
tary party apparently was not able to
hold in check the widespread public
demand that the heavy taxes occa-
stoned by expenditures for the army
and navy be checked.
War Spoils Discussed
1t is stated that the military party
has been using extensively in publicity
through the empire the fact that
Pacific. and Far Eastern questions were
being placed ahead of the actual arma-
ment limitation discussions, being
made, in fact, the prime requisite be-
fore any agreement as to armaments
could be reached.
The military party, it is asserted, has
been declaring to the people Of Japan
that the desire of other countries, but
particularly of the United States,
again was to prevent Japan from
profiting to the extent to which she
was entitled from the war. It's lead
ers have been declaring that after al
most every war in which Japan en-
gagged the other large powers have
stepped in to rob her of the fruits Of
victory.
According to the advices, the
Japanese have been deeply stirred by
this propaganda and their sentiment
now is very \ different from the
amicable frame of mind in which they
would have approached the same sort
of conference on June /.
Despite it all, European diplomats
here believe that Japan will be most
reasonable on the whole proposition,
the only necessary point, as has been
indicated in previous Washington dis
patches in The Tribune, being to make
the arrangements on the Pacific ana
Far Eastern questions in such way
as to Save her. face" japanese ma
tional pride must be saved it is de-
clared, by avoiding the appearance Of
the country's leaders having given in
on any important questions.
Senators Get Pessimistic
Needless to say, the members of the
Senate who have been opposing the
inclusion of Pacific and Far Eastern
questions with the disarmament dis
cussions are now in the II told you
so" attitude and are talking pessi-
mistically about the whole prospect.
In Administration circles, however,
while there is no discounting the i'm
portance of the propaganda being car
ried on by the military party in Japan,
there is no regret at having insisted
upon including the discussion of Pacific
and Far Eastern questions.
The attitude of the Administration is
and has been that there can be no real
thought of armament limitation unless
the controversies between this country
and Japan, with all their possibilities
of exciting public sentiment, especially
in view of the yellow journals of both
countries, which are always so eager
to scream to popular prejudice, have
been smoothed out
No other course, it is believed by
President Harding and his advisers, is
possible