The New York herald., 1921-07-04
ANCLO-JAPAN PACT
NOT HOSTILE TO us.
Tokio's Envoy at Washing
ton Insists Peace Only in
Far East Is Object.
OF BENEFIT TO CHINA
Americas Position Unal-
tered by Senate's Rejection
of London Treaty.
AGGRESSION is DENIED
Mikado's Spokesman Asserts
Nothing Shall Hamper Re-
lations With Us.
AGGRESSION is DENIED
BIZ the Associated Press

formal statement to-day discussing the
Anglo-Japauese alliance. declares that
"by no stretch OF the imagination can
it be honestly stated that the alliance
was ever designed or remotely intended
as an instrument of hostility or even
defence against the United States"
Negotiations between London and
Toxic looking to the renewal of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance have not yet
begun" says the statement. I'm the
meantime, campaign seems to be
actively at work misrepresenting the
possible effect of the alliance upon the
United States. BY no stretch OF the
imagination can 1t be honestly stated
that the alliance was ever designed or
remotely intended as an instrument OF
hostility or even Of defence against
the United States.
'The Anglo-Japanese alliance, In its
history for neary twenty years, has
twice been renewed. In each case the
fundamental policy underlying 1t has
remained unchanged. 1t aims perma-
nently to preserve and to consolidate the
general peace of the Far East The
original agreement Of 1902. in line with
that policy, was calculated to localize
any war which might be forced upon
either contracting party in defence Of
its defined interests or vital security.
It was made when China was under
menace of foreign aggression; and the
United States, showing the utmost
friendliness toward both parties to the
alliance, viewed the compact with SYM
pathy and approval.
'In 1905, when the alliance was re-
newed and revised to meet the changed
conditions that followed the Russo-Japa-
nese war, no thought occurred to the
statesmen of either country that the
United States might possibly become a
potential enemy of either. and for that
reason, and that alone, no provision
was inserted taking so remote con-
tingency into consideration.
"The alliance was again revised In
1911, and Article w. of that agreement
contains the following provision:
"'Should either high contracting party
with third Power. It Is agreed that
nothing In this agreement shall entail
upon such contracting party an obliga-
ton to go to war with the Power with
whom such treaty or arbitration is In
force
"The provision, in its relation to the
United States, has often been made the
subject of conflicting interpretations.
To a practical mind, however, the cir
cumstances which led up to It's inclu-
sion should at once serve to remove all
doubt regarding its significance. The
idea OF revising the alliance in 1911 was
facilitating the nego otiations which were
known to be then In progress between
London and Washington for the conclu-
sion of a general arbitration treaty.
Neither Japan nor Great Britain has
ever contemplated. under the alliance,
any casus foederis prejudicial or mimi
cal to the interests Of the United States.
and any plan designed 20 remove the
possibility of an armed conflict between
the United States and Great Britain was
of course agreeable to Japan. 1t was
in pursuance of this policy that the
quoted provision OF Article ~. was
adopted.
'The same policy inspires Japan as
strongly to-day as ever before. It
has not, In any degree, been affected by
the fact that tho Angio-American gen.
eraf arbitration treaty failed to secure
the approval Of the United States Sem
ate. Nor is Il practically necessary to
carry on the legal analysis OF the ques-
tIon as to whether the peace commits
sion treaty. signed and ratified by the
United States and Great Britain in
1914. should be construed as a general
arbitration treaty within the meaning
of Article w. of the AnSlo-Japanese
agreement. For apart from that ques-
ton. 1t was already well understood
at the time of negotiating the existing
agreement that the alliance should in
no case be directed against the United
States.
I'm explanation OF Japan's attitude.
Count Uchida, the japanese Foreign
Minister, made the following statement
to the budget committee of the Japanese
House of Representatives on February
4, 1921:
GAS far as I understood. when Ar
t,cle Nv. of the treaty (Anglo-Japanese
alliance) was inserted the United States
was specifically in mind. and therefore
as practical matter the question
whether the general arbitration treaty
mentioned in Article w. has been rati-
fed by the United States Senate or not
makes no particular difference. In other
words. looking at the matter from a
broad point of view, we can safely say
that already at the time Of the conclu-
sion of the treaty tAnglo-Japanesc al
lIance) II was understood that there
should be no application of this treaty
to the United States.
Japan Is naturally anxious 20
strengthen the ties of friendship and
loyal cooperation between herself and
the British Empire, which she regards
as of the utmost Importance TO the sta
bility of the Far East. At the sar,a
time, IL is the flrm and fixed detes,mna-
ton OF Japan to permit nothing to ham
per her traditional relations OF good Will
and good understanding with the United
States. She Is satisfied that these two
Affiliations are in no way Incompatible.
but. on the contrary. Complementary and
even essential to each other.
Charges have some times been made
that the alliance tends to encourage ag-
gressivc designs on the part Of Japan
in China. IL this were the case. II would
lie contrary to the preamble OF the
agreement. which provides for:
1.-The preservation OF the common
interests of all Powers In China by In
srring the independence and integrity
Of the Chinese Empire and the principle
of equal opportunities for the commerce
and industry of all nations IL China
Japan fully realizes that any such
venture of aggression would be not only
hopeless of attainment but destructive
on her own security and welfare. She
sincerely wishes for China an early
achievement of peace. unity and stable
government. She desires TO cultivate
her relations with that country along