Evening star., 1921-07-21
Editorial Digest
Must Japan Be Persuaded?

I Reported objections on the part of
Japan to agree to Join in the dis
armament conference unless discus
sion of far eastern affairs is excluded
from the agenda are not taken very
seriously by the American press as q
whole. although some newspapers feel
| that by including subjects other than
that Of reduction of armies and
| navies. President Harding has made
mistake. Some writer's make it a
point to explain the Japanese view
and show the difficulties which her
| statesmen face.
Japan must agree to meet with the
other nations in the end" says the
Charleston Is. c. News and Courier
(democratic), ."for II she should re.
fuse the rest Of the world would sus-
pect her Of intention to enhance her
power by force Of arms" and, adds
the San Francisco Chronicle. Unde-
pendentl. abandoning for the mo-
ment all humanitarian thought. moth
80 well in actual yen as fortnight
advocacy Of peace and commercial
equality" Hence the Chronicle ex-
Japan"
The Pittsburgh Gaxette-Times (re-
publtcan) believes that Japan's states
men will be brought to see the truth"
that Justice for the far eastern ma
tions' will not deprive her Of any
| thing to which she rightfully can lay
claim. The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Mndependent democraticl considers 1t
objections will be met to the full sat-
| isfaction of the Toxic government"
and the New York Post independent
democratic) points out that since her
powerful ally. England. has already
accepted the Harding invitation, even
keep the far east out Of the confer
vered."
The Philadelphia Public Ledger
Independently also considers that tho
| Japanese objectors have been check
| those powers represented at the con-
| ference will have something to say
about It's scope" and this fact "cuts
the ground from under the feet Of
| Toxic and foreshadows the dnal and
complete acceptance Of the invita-
ton as 1t was issued by the State
Department"
Another "weighty" argument against
| Japanese hesitation. remarks the
! Newark News independently. Is the
taxation that has all but broken the
| strong backs Of the militarists in the
Japan place obstacles in the path
of an adjustment" and thus halt this
| movement for the security Of peace"
she will stand q Pariah among ma
| tions.
TO the Norfolk -virginian Pilot
(democratic) "Japan's conditional ac-
ceptance Is a foretaste Of the Inn
| mensity OF the task to which Presi-
dent Harding has committed himself
| with Nippon. as the Peoria Trans
cript dndependent) puts 1t. the real
siders that Japan 10 merely follow
ing the example Of the United States
in holding aloof from the general
peace settlement"
The New York World (democratic)
explains that: This country might
invited 1t to participate in disarma-
ment conference. which was to take
up the California land question. the
oil question in Mesopatamia. and the
relation Of European governments to
the Monroe doctrine"
ing its own opinion. the Lynchburg
(Va.) News (democratic). adds that
"Mr Harding did not exemplify acute
statesmanship'' when he caused "a
multiplication of the issues" This
action seems inconsistent to the Utica
Observer (democratic). which re-
marks that it is rather remarkable
that leaders who objected to the
document that included the treaty
and. the league Of nations together
should now mix a disarmament
scheme with a group OF diplomatic
difficulties"
Taking full cognizance of these
facts, the Springfield Republican Nn-
dependent). however. remains opti-
mistic, declaring that "it Is decidedly
premature to assume that any real
obstacle to the success Of the under
taking has been interposed."