The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-24
The Anglo-Japanese Alliance
BY FREDERICK J. HAskIN

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-Although
both the British and the japanese are
still putting forth propaganda on be-
half of a renewal of the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance. it seems now to be
the general opinion that it will not
be renewed and that its termination
will be great factor in establishing
peace on sound basis in the far
east.
That the Japanese want this alliance
and that it would be an advantage
TO them in the future as it has been
IN the past. is obvious Japan's ca
reer of economic and military i'm
perialism, which has carried her into
Siberia, Manchuria and China, has
been made possible largely by this
British support. If this alliance were
continued on the same terms, Japan's
imperialistic career could continue
and the miltaristic forces in that
country would be strengthened. If
the alliance is genuinely announced
by Great Britain, and Great Britain
is genuinely in accord with the United
States in Asiatic policy, Japan's i'm
perialistic ambitions will be most eff
fectively curbed She will face a
combination against which she car
mot possibly hope to prevail, The
liberal forces in Japan will be
strengthened.
This curbing of Japan's militaristic
career therefore stands out with in
creasing clearness as the great OBJ
ject of the conference. Its accom-
plishment will be a long step toward
international peace, in the opinion Of
the best Informed observers, provided
it can be done without alternating all
Japanese confidence in the western
powers.
Japan has survived as a nation
solely by reason of her military and
naval strength. She has seen every
other Asiatic nation exploited and
robbed of autonomy and integrity by
the western nations. Her faith in
the big stick is based on logic and
experience. That is why even the
liberal forces in Japan rally around
the government when an emergency
arises Japan must be convinced,
therefore, not only that her presen,
course in China, Manchuria and ST.
IBERIA must be abandoned. but also
that her integrity and autonomy and
her rights in commerce will be re-
spected. If Japan goes away dis
gruntled and suspicious, nothing much
has been accomplished for the cause
of peace
Why England Wants Alliance.
1t is easy enough to see why Japan
wants the alliance with England. but
OF fy1.N
English desire for it, The English
government originally considered it
necessary to Offset the menace of Rus
STA to her Asiatic empire. With Rus
STA great imperialistic power, Great
Britain really needed a strong Asiatic
ally. Doubtless Japan is still useful
to her by doing naval police work in
Asiastic waters. but it has been an
nounced that Great Britain will have
an Asiatic fleet of her own in the
future, so this work is evidently no
longer to be entrusted to Japan.
Moreover, Japan, it is stated in
many quarters. has steadily injured
British prestige in China, for the
Chinese have no confidence in any
power allied with Japan.
What. then, is the purpose in Asia
that Japan and England still have il
common? One well-informed OBJ
server says that it is purpose which
neither of them can afford to state
in public, and which certainly will
never be mentioned at the conference
That common purpose is to suppress
the rise of democratic ideals in Asia
Japan is ruled by an oligarchy. It's
constitution and its parliament are
alike of little effect in its affairs. The
republican spirit and class conscious
ness are a menace to the ruling oil
garchy, which seeks to suppress both
Likewise the present Japanese course
in China would he largely thMa1ta ed