The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-05-06
BRITAIN, JAPAN
} and US. Clash
in Big REPUBLIC
All Sorts of Rumors Rife in Orient;
Needs Clear Steering to End
Sources of Friction
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
SHANGHAI. May e.-The heavy
fog OF doubt, suspicion and hatred
which. prior to 1914. hung over the
Balkans. has shifted To the Far East
and unless IL can be cleared away by
some definite moves on the part OF
the three governments principally In.
volved-acts which will admit of no
two Interpretations conflict
seems inevitable.
Cuff of a highly dangerous sort Is
Sg being spilled out here in the
!. Orient, adding to the confusion. The
widest rumors are always In the air.
generally without even a shred OF
truth IN them: but each adds its mite
to the general tension and thus does
Its little bit OF harm.
sHREwDEsT OBSERVERS
LOSING PERSPECTIVE
Some of the shrewdest observers
American, British and Japanese-are
losing their perspective. living as
they are in this turbid atmosphere.
driving home on newcomers the need
Of Immediate steps to clarity the sit
nation.
And America Is always the goat,
whatever the combination OF direful
events predicted or feared.
Some have the United States and
England tobogganing at terrific
speed towards war on the theory that
since Germany Is down and out
America alone stands in the way OF
Great Britain's commercial donAina.
ton OF the world
Others are convinced the United
States and Japan are headed in the
direction Of an inevitable clash--on
the ground that their ambitions can
not be reconciled in Asia.
I7UAIN PLOTTING
FLAP WAR?
IA third category Of sidewalk diplo-
, mats see Great Britain conniving to
push America and Japan into war
With each other for the double pur-
pose Of removing Japan as a dan
gerous commercial rival In the
Orient and from the high seas as
rapidly growing menace to Britain's
merchant marine.
And then there's the group who
profess to believe England wants the
United States and Japan to fight 30
Ghe, England. viii not have to fight
America, while a fifth school Of
0pinion preach that Great Britain
would like characterization war
20 that both Japan and America
would receive such a setback that
she would remain undisputedly In
Possession Of the field
These are some Of the things folks
out here are talking about But II
r By no means all they are saying.
yonc is guessing and the wild.
~ guesser wins.
L{fAL AGREE THAT
SHOWDOWN Is NECESSARY
On one thing. however. all think.
ing men In the Orient, whatever their
nationality, are agreed upon and
that Is the necessity for a show
down.
Great Britain. Japan and the
United States--these three nations
a1one--are the nations which must
decide what is to be in the Far East,
4-4t1 IL ulilitIo htdiil iOtVll hHOWb
what any one Of them intends to do.
President Harding. many contend.
holds the key to the situation. These
are anxious for him to take the in
itiative In clearing up the whole bad
business out here. -Four moves,
they consider, would do the job.
First, TO announce to the world
= dounto-others-as-we be done.
by. thoroly American, non. grab-for.
eign policy with particular reference
to the Far East.
Second. free the Philippines as
proof that America means what she
says and for the psychological eff.
feet on the world.
Third. press armament reduction
/ In every way possible on England
8epd Japan, and.
odrth, propose an international
pint high commission to consider
shina's problems in a China-for-the-
chinese way and prevent a virtual,
II not literal, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
that unhappy land.
THESE MOVES WOULD FORCE
CARDS ON TABLE
These four moves would have the
Immediate effect of forcing every
power interested In the Far East to
put their cards face up on the inter
national poker table. The refusal of
any nation to come out in the open
would be tantamount to an admission
that IL had something to conceal, in
Itself a complete declaration of
policy, while the United States. by
taking the lead, would strengthen
the hands OF those fighting for bet.
ter understanding and confound the
trouble-makers who are daily build.
Ing up a case against Uncle Sam as
the greediest villain of the lot
Such is the argument, and among
those who support 1t most vigorously
are some our our army and navy
49, detailed for service in this
part Of the world.
I'VE don't want war" one keen
thinking American officer in Yoko-
hama told me, land 1t makes me sore
bll the way' thru for some OF our
political friends TO be forever preach