Evening star., 1921-05-23
FOREIGN QUESTIONS
REACH VITAL POINT
Relations With Mexico and
Japan at Stake in Nego-
tiations Under Way.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Two delicate situations in interna
tionai affairs, involving future relations
between the United States and Mexico
| on the one hand and the United States
and Japan on the other. have progressed
1 to the vital point where tho Department
| Of State hopes irritating comments from
the press of the three countries will be
| avoided so that a satisfactory settle
| ment can be reached.
Optimism as to the clearing up Of the
two disputes is plainly reflected here.
but the job ahead of Secretary Hughes
| in negotiating with the Obregon gov
eminent on the question Of recognition
| is one on which the Wilson administra-
! ton was able to make little headway.
This was not because of the way the
! thing was handled. for the Harding
| regime has asked for practically the
! same thing from Mexico, but because
could get better terms from the republic
! cans than from the democrats.
Playing Careful Game.
Mexico is playing a careful game
no pressure has been exerted to OBJ
tain recognition from the United
States. no outward effort has been
made that could be denounced by the
| lanti-American elements in Mexico as
an attempt to curry favor with the
President Obregon needs the recog-
milton Of the United States. because
| it means recognition nv the other
| governments of the world. II means
I; economic stimulus and a funding of
Mexicos external and internal debt
through foreign loans.
To put the question on a material
basis however. would only give
President Obregon's enemies chance
| to start a revolution against him.
Tho United States on the other hand.
cannot AFFORD to accept oral assur-
! ances. Previous governments in
! Mexico have given and then ignored
! written ASSURANCES
Whether the assurances are en-
bodied in a protocol or any other
| ly expected that a definite promise
! will be given by the Mexican govern
, ment to treat Americans and their
| interests equitably or else recognition
will be inevitably withheld. The Mex
lean government has insisted that to
| and would give internal factions an
, opportunity to raise the cry that
Obregon has sold out to the Amer
| leans" The hope is expressed here.
however. that the protocol may avoid
! any such imputations and that it will
be simply a treaty which will make
| it possible for two neighboring coun-
| tries to continue in peaceful relation
ship.
Requests Not Unreasonable.
The requests of the United States
] that retroactive articles of the Mexi-
can constitution shall be eliminated
| so as to preserve American property
lawfully acquired before the constitu-
tion of 1913 was adopted are really
not unreasonable.
Americans have looked to Mexico
for a large part of the worlds oil
dry. and it is estimated that in an
| other eighteen months the present
wells will have become practically
valueless. This means that new
! sources Of supply must be opened up.
and unless American interests can Sc
cure permits to drill new wells under
favorable conditions. other European
interests may creep in and obtain con-
troll Of the petroleum there.
Secretary Hughes has sent George
ate with obregon. Summerlin is
charge danaires of the American en-
bassy in Mexico City and is an in
innate friend of Undersecrtary
in various diplomatic posts. Summer
lin has the confidence of the Depart
mont Of State to an unusual degree
and will handle the negotiations in
person.
Door Still Open Over Yap.
As for the controversy with Japan
over the Island Of Yap matters are NOV
ing along satisfactorily for our govern
ment. The japanese have by no means
closed the door against discussion: in
deed, they have not assumed a definite
position. The negotiations have been
carried on informally and orally. so that
iS reached il
may be reduced to writing without the
necessity of a prolonged period of note
writing. The Yap question is before the
supreme council. but if the United States
and Japan could reach a direct agree
ment it would be far more satisfactory
to Japan than to be in the position of
being required to obey a request from
the supreme council to give back some
thing previously awarded her. The way
out Of course. is an agreement to inter-
nationalize the Island OF Yap SO that it
does not belong either to the United
States or Japan. but to all the powers
equally and governed by an International
commission which would saIeeuard all
interests.
Japan is not particularly disturbed
over the disposition of Yap-or rather
she would not be if Japanese-Amer-
ican relations showed signs of get
ting better. The negotiations which
have been carried on both here and
in Toxic indicate clearly to the
Japanese that the Harding admins
tration is not going around with a
chip on it's shoulder. but is anxious
to have a friendly understanding with
the Japanese SO that the road ahead
may be travelled by both countries
without suspicion. The economic in
terests of the United States as we'll
as Japan are straining for expansion
and on the prompt settlement of
pending disputes depends the develop
ment Of commerce and business rela-
tions in the far east. Both govern
ments know that and are trying by !
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