The Washington herald., 1921-11-04
by FRANK H. sIMoNDs.

British attitude.
= ny FIsANK II. siMONDs.
British purpose In the Washington
conference is unmistakabie. Even the
United States has hardly more a,
stake. In the FIRST Aplace. it was
Britain. and not the United States.
which proposed that the Far Eastern
question should be discussed; who ar
gued THAT no real discussion Of the
limitation OF armaments was possI-
BILE while the Japanese.American sit
uation remained unsatisfactory.
1t was British influence. far more
than American, which persuaded
Japan to come to Washington and to
swallow the Hughes asenda whole
instead Of refusing certain portions.
1t viii be British influence which
in the very nature OF things must
be exerted to persuade Japan to
make still further concessions in the
interests Of Pacific accommodation.
IL not an actual settlement, since
after Paris one uses the word "set-
tlement" with mental reservations.
1t is. then. fair statement OF
British purpose to say that the first
objective Of British diplomacy will
be to work wholeheartedly and with
out reservation for the success OF
the conference. the more so as II
is most keenly appreciated by every
Engiishman that the. consequences OF
failure Will be literally appalling.
Sees War n Parsey Fails.
Americans have TO appreciate that
britain Is a great Asiatic power with
vast Oriental interests. Therefore
realities in the Pacific are more ac-
curately appreciated in Downins
Street than in our own State De-
partment and the dominating reaIit,
OF the Pacific situation In that a war
between Japan and the United States
Will be an almost sae3ffahle conse,
auence OF failure Of the conference
Despite reports to the contrary,
am satisfied That British policy viii
not aim at an American Alliance te
repiace the Japanese, or even at ar
observation-disclosures associa
ton to take the place Of the present
dual alliance. The British havs
learned that an alliance is out ol
the question. They have appreci
ated the fact that even IL Mr.. Hard.
Ing and Mr.. Hughes should consent
to such an arrangement, which 4,
in itself unthinkable, the natio,
would reject IT. Indeed; there q
reason for suspecting that the Brit.
ish do not even expect. any rea
treaty. with entangling details. ts
result 49,
British diplomacy would like,
think. to be able to smooth the wa,
to American Japanese adjustment
It Is actually aware of the danger,
which must result from British &C,
tivity. however sincerely directet
toward helping TO a useful outcome
But ! should guess that not ever
these dangers Will deter British
statesmen from continuing to. us,
their good Offices. and using then
powerfully and effectively.
VIII Persuade japan
A war between Japan ana fh,
United States would only be a iittl,
less of a calamity for Britain thar
for the United States, whether Brit.
ain remain neutral or take our side
and these are the only two possfbl,
assumptions. In seeking to prevent
this war Britain has already per.
suaded the japanese to go Ions
way. and the end of this process 4.
not yet.
In the last analysis. however. ever
the British cannot persuade the jap,
anese to concede certain things.
there must still be a degree Of rea.
sonableness on the American sice
II the American case is presented
with square corners and rough
edges; IL abstract principles are in.
sisted upon beyond a certain point
and insisted upon by the United
States. Britain will be powerless-
her influence over her Japanese all,
will be fatally compromised
The British would like to see 4
successful conference In which
American japanese relations wer,
placed upon a reasonably. safe basis
and on the economic side some plar
was agreed upon to. put China upor
ed: unless China 10 rescued from an.
archy and at least measurabiy re.
stored to political unity. nothing 4,
possible. No agreement would bs
really worth the paper on wfich 4,
was written. because no pledge
promise, undertaking Of any sor,
COui0 prevent. Jdpdh from nSn1nR In
such fruitful waters.
Must Define China Policy.
From the British point Of view III,
first step must be the definition o,
what constitutes China and the second
the agreement Of the United States
Japan and Britain upon a common
policy toward this entity az defined
Everyone can subscribe to such hop4
less distractions as the integrity oi
China" inst as everyone could agree
to that other monumental ahstraction
the self Of peoples.' >
But IN practice. agreement b only te
be had after laborious search FOR q
satisfactory definition. fse
The first mission OF British diplomacy
must naturally b to ind q basis Of
agreement between the United States
and Japan on what each win accent
as the Chinese fact. Al the outse,
we. landed to regard China a. every.
think from Siberia to French Indo.
China. But Japan WI never under
any -circumstances consent to such .
defnition. TO be followed BY thu ap.
pliesx3on Of the principles Of the in
tegr1ty OF China. ~.
II The United States agrees to accept
China ~ meaning the regions within
the Great Wall. Japan VIII. IN the
long run and under BrftisA pressure