The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-11-24
lansing 5
PACT TEST
OF PARLEY
lshii Agreement Will Be Re-
newed and Must Be Set
tied by Conference
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs


WASHINGTON. Nov. si.--The ON.
incus dispute wagcd for years a. to
the meaning OF the i.ansing.ishii
agreement. under which mili,arist
Japan virtually lays claim to dnsnina
ton OF China, will be renewed AZ the
arms conference hcre--and settled.
This agreement. signed az Wash.
inston In 1917. is not only the key to
Jspan's position in China. but 10 the
whole Far Eastern question.
According TO former Secretary OF
State Robert Lansing. the agreement
was made to ailay mutual feeling
Of suspicion" on the part OF the pco-
pie OF Japan and America with re-
gard 10 the motives OF the two coun.
tries In China.
The agreement was thru an ex.
change OF notes between Secretary
Lansing and Niscount Ishu. stating
.that territorial propinqulty creates
special relations between countries,
and consequently the government OF
the United States recognizes that
Japan has special interests In China.
particularly in the part 20 which her
posses ons are contiguous
The agreement reiterated the
American doctrine OF the open door
in. and the territorial integrity OF.
China.
''who suggested the proposition OF
special interestgr senator Borah
asked Secretary Lansing at the hear.
ings before the senate foreign rela.
tionx committee.
Lansing viscount Ishii.
Borah--You suggested 70 him that
II that meant political control or
paramount control you did not care
q discuss it,
Lansing-Yes.
Borah-what did he say In reply
TO that,
Lansing-He continued the discus
sion.
Borah--Along what line
l<ansing-Weli. along the line that
he inserted Il In his counter-draft OF
the note and urged that II be includ.
I'd. But he understood exactly what
interpreted the words special in
interests to mean.
Borah--And you understood what
he interpreted them 10 meant
Lansing-So. I did not.
Borah-He had said his Idea was
that Japan had special interests In
China which ought to be recognized.
and BY those special interests he
meant paramount controlf
Lansing--Yes: and / told him |
would not consider IL.
Borah--Did he say. Very well. |
adopt that construction OF H." or
anything Of that kindy
Lsnsing-No: but he continued to
INTRODUCES the words special inter.
osts."
The Japanese are manifestIng
more and more clear tendency 10
interpret the special position Of ia
pan In China in the sense
that would to some extent establish
= japanese control over the foreign
affairs OF China the Russian am
bassador In Tokyo later reported TO
his government.
son the other hand" he continued.
"the Japanese do not attach great
importance 10 its recognition OF the
principle Of the open door
II Is therefore quite possible that at
some future time there may arise In
this connection misundersfand ing be-
tween Japan and the United States.
The minister OF foreign affairs
again confirmed today in converse.
ton with me that In the negotia.
tons by viscount Ishii the question
At issue Is not some special conces-
sion 70 Japan In these or other parts
Of China. but Japan's special posi-.
tlon in China as whole"
Concluding. the Russian ambassa-
dor said:
II gain the impression from the
foreign minister that he Is conscious
Of the possibility OF misunderstood.
inRs also In the future. but is Of the
opinion that In such a case Japan
would have better means at her dis
posal for carrying into effect her IN
Preparations than the United States -
The United States government Is
unalterably opposed 10 such preten.
lions on the part OF Japan: China Is
determined to oppose them TO the
bitter end
The Interpretation OF this agree
ment--the crux OF the whole show
here--will be the real test OF the con.
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