New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
Big Question Is Will u. S. Agree
To Japan's Sphere of Interest?
1f Boundaries Of China, for Official Purposes, Are
Set at the Great Wall There Will Be
Little Disagreement

solution Is possible unless abstract
principles are translated into workable
realities or else discarded altogether,
and unless the United States is pre-
pared to accept financial, If not po-
liticaL responsibilities in tho matter
Of the rehabilitation of China. To
put the thing little differently, not
all the thousand and one agreements
made at conferences and otherwise by
the European countries and made with
respect of Turkey were able to pre-
vept general confagration growing
out OF the Turkish problem, because
Turkey continued to decay and thus
not alone to invite, but in a measurs
to compel, Intervention and resulting
rivalries.
The origin Of the Eastern question
which plagued Europe for two CEN
turies and led straight to the World
War was the decay Of Turkey. Th.
origin of tho present Far Eastern
question is the continuing weakness
of China, which has recently increased.
Unless this decay can be arrested the
Far Eastern question will remain and
Japanese aggression will continue or
be resumed after brief interruption,
thus bringing back all the present diff-
culties and contemporary dangers.
But what then Of the question Of
| the limitation Of armament. which.
after all, gives its name to the Wash
ington conference and dominates public
interest and public attention.? Just
this, the question Of the limitation Of
armament is, was and always will be
dependent upon the state of the rela-
tIons between the countries discussing
the subject. IF you conceive that the
United States, Japan and Great Britain
VIII arrive at basis of agreement az
to the Far Eastern question, then the
question Of arranging futurs naval
programs is almost ridiculously SIM
pie. 1t can be settled in principle in
week and the subsequent labors will
be those of experts, which need in.
terest and concern only professional
soldiers and sailors. r"'
the Far Eastern question, even if some
arrangement were made restricting for
the moment ali naval programs, not
the least progress would be made
toward reducing the danger of war.
The danger of war arises from the fact
that we, the United States, have chal-
lenged the Japaneses right to do cer-
tain things in the Far East and par
lticularly in China. The hope of peace
is to be found in the possibility thas
IN conference, and with Great Britain
present and assisting, basis of settle
ment can be found by which the inter
ests Of Japan and the United States
and the policies of these nations with
respect to China can be reconciIed. f-
This basis can, however, be arrived.
at only by mutual concession. In the
last analysis it must be reached by
persuasion, not by Indictment, not By
the assertion Of principles, but by the
accommodation of policies. If persua-
sion fails, the choice for the United
States is between coercing and quit
ting, between war and a complete and
humiliating backdown, which will not
prevent, even if 1t momentarily post
pones, conflict. If American statesman
ship is out to establish principles We
shall have war. If it is aiming at a
reasonable viabIe compromise we shall
avoid great catastrophe and not i'm A.
possibly register a small but inestimas !.
bly, precious gain for world order and
stability. For another war now might
easily mean the wrecking Of our whole
economic and social structure, tbs
bankruptcy Of our civilization.
Copyright, 1921. by The Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.