Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1921-08-04
BY EDWARD W. PlcKARD.

BY EDWARD W. PicKARD.
Japan, self.conscious, rather sus-
picious and knowing both the strength
and the weakness Of her position in
the Orient, has been withholding her
acceptance Of President Harding's In.
vitatiOn to the Washington conference
In SO far as the discussion Of Pacific
problems Is concerned. But repeated
conversations between Secretary
Hughes and Ambassador Shidehara
are serving to dissipate her vague OBJ
jectiOns ami 1t is believed her COM
plete acceptance will not be much long
er delayed. Mr.. Hughes made 1t clear
to the ambassador that the sovereign
ty of Japan can assert itself at the
conference as freely as that Of any
other power. that the United States
has no disposition to draw hard and
fast lines with regard to the subjects
that shall be discussed and that 1t
would be most unfortunate II hostile
or suspicious attitude should develop
before the conference begins. 1t Is
understood, at this writing, that the
mlkado's cabinet has virtually agreed
that Japan shall enter the conference
without restrictions, having faith in
the good intentions Of the other par
elephants.
The Japanese people, however, and
their prominent leaders, are not
unanimous in approval of that course,
many fearing the conference will be
dominated by the Anglo-Saxons and
will result in the strangling Of Japans
economic and political development in
Asla. There Is also a tendency. not
confined to unofficial circles, to insist
that the matter of race equality be
made an issue at Washington and that
the emigration rights of the japanese
be definitely fixed. 1t is reported, too.
that the cabinet has decided the Japa-
nese representatives shall not enter in.
to discussion Of questions affecting
the sovereign rights of participating
nations or Of the Shantung and Yap
questions, which 1t holds were settled
by the Paris peace conference. So far
MS Yap is concerned, 1t is believed the
negotiations between the United States
and Japan will have been concluded
and q friendly settlement of the dis
pute reached long before the confer.
ence assemblies.
The invitation to China to partici-
pate in the discussions Of Pacific
questions has brought on some COM
plications. In the first place 1t is re-
sponsible for much of Japnn's su+
picion. Then, too. 1t was directed of
course to the Peking government and
now DR.. Sun Vat Sens constitutional
government of South China protests,
through it's representative In Washing.
ton, that the Peking government is not
qualified to represent the whole Of
China and the Canton government also
shculd he asked to participate.
Premier Lloyd George. 1t Is an.
nounced in London. will attend the
conference unless the unforeseen hap.
pens. With him, presumably, will hs
Foreign Secretary Curzon; and II Il
likely the dominion premiers will I've
there too, though the British empire
VIII he represented as unit. Great
Britain hns abandoned its tentative
Lian ia have a preliminary conference
In London on Far Eastern matters
"Presidcnt" Eamonn de Valera had
another meeting with Premier Lloyd
George Thursday, and soon thereafter
departed for Ireland carrying the gov
rrnment's final offer Of home rule FOL
Ihe island within the empire, practi
,ally like that enjoyed by South Africa
This he will submit to the Irish IRE
publlcans" whose decision, he has as
serted, he will abide by. The plan wal
first given in detail to the British
cabinet and received its almost unan,
nous approval. Premier Smuts O.
South Africa again had taken a hant
in the settlement and had suggested
fiscal alterations which were adopted
Thus the prospects for Irish peace
are fairly good. despite the fact tina
Ulster and the extreme UniOnists re
main to be satisfied Sir James Craig
the Ulster premier, after meeting
Lloyd George in London, returned t.
Belfast to consult his government. HI
declared Ulster would not yield 1T
right of elf.determlnaton, that Il
separation from southern Ireland wa
an accomplished fact, and that IT
now only remains for Mr.. de valer'
and the British people to come t
terms regarding the area outside o