Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-21
WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER q. 1921.

IN the most casual manner President Hard
ing Yesterday tossed medium-size bomb
shell into the very midst OF the Washing
ton conference. Friends OF the four-power
agreement. III the conference. in the Senate
md on the sI4e,iucs, were still desperately
busy at late accounts with an attempt to
make the scene appear as if no explosion had
taken place. Mr. Harding himself. it must
be recorded. doing everything in his
power to help the restoration along.
III the course OF his talk with correspond
ents, the President had quietly uttered
The opinion that the homeland OF Japan was
not included i'll territory covered by the
phrase, "icsular possessions and nsular do
minions." That was all. But that was quite
enough TO galvanize tho American "big four
and nearly all OF their susceptible political
acquaintance within radius OF many
blocks. The Presidents statement meant
simply that he did not interpret Article H.
lust as IL has been interpreted by the men
who wrote il and signed il. II meant more
over, that the President, certainly without
Intending 10 do so, had played directly
INTO the hands of those who are laying their
p!ans to defeat the pact, since it is matter
Of common information that opponents of
me agreement are training their heaviest
guns on this particular article and its al
.eged obscurities
ne question lhat At once presents itself
10 the observer is this: Why has not the
conference come right ont in the omen with
full explanation OF this article? The pub
.ic--as well as The President OF the United
states, il appears-has been left to make
what 1t might of the provisions Of Article
II. Such official explanations or iyitcrpreta-
mons as have come 10 the public notice
seem 10 nave been sqt'.ozed but of reluct-
ant spokesman, and then only after wholly
unofficial onlookcrs had raised the question
81 the articles inclusiveness. What does II
mean? Admiral Baron Kato speaks OF q
hedge 20 secrecy. That is an unhnppy note
Newspaper report now credits the inclusion
81 Japan : home misunderstanding no uues-
non mat this inclusion was by careful ana
deliberate design-tu the American an,
British delegations. The Japanese d.lce,.
ION, II IS inferred, was reluctant. Why
shese respective positions were taken is
eft to conjecture.
In the meantime. the whole si,ua,ior ,,,s
been thrown into confusion by "A clear-cu,
divergence OF Interpretation as bet ween ho
resident and the American delegation The
PRESIDENT has undertaken TO relieve tho
'chSloh by declaring that the "differencc In
'le"s III howisc Will be permitted Ia ON
.dfinSs me conference or the ratification of
ne agreement But the President is really
aot In a position TO guarantee that promisc
heIo IS certain amount of comfort in his
a'piitd assurance that neither the inclusion
9or inc exclusion OF Japans home islands
"onid materially alter the significance of tho
feaF' ont this does not blot out the pros
'ec' OF embarrassing debate over the
sSegesis and intent OF the article
Leaders in the conference no,,h,,. ,,o
american and British leaders should ,auo
immediate steps TO turn every avai,nhIc
;ahhie-power OF light on this debated article
,rti u means nothing. that fact should be
established beyond dispute, il it means e.
much that The pact would be emascuInt cd
oy i.s amendment, that meaning SHOULD be
siucidated fully. The suspicion that tb.rc
IS something dark and sinister in the inc,u.
non or Japan's homeland ought no, n Il,
encouraged by reticence or conflicting view,
u there is III iact. nothing dark about II