Omaha daily bee., 1921-11-22
At The Parley's Heart
Anglo Japanese Alliance Has
It's Effect at Washington.
(From the Philadelplis Lsdga)

IntWashngton the Anglo japanese alliance
is fading. dissolving. making ready to be lait
| away in the lavender of memory II has giver
the japanese much prestige and Great Britain ;
certain security. For nineteen years il has en-
dured, but in most ways it has outlived its use
fulncss.
The reds of Moscow may be a menace, bu
they are not the same sort OF menace as thai
Russian bear OF the czar that looked over ths
Himalayan passes and left his tracks on the
beaches OF the Pacific. GERMANY is out Of the
two nations, against whom England and Japan
drew together, are down and temporarily done
for. At present this celebrated alliance is re-
garded by some British and most Australians
and New Zealanders as sort OF pledge that
Japan will not take Melbourne overnight Can
ada is against it, South Africa Indifferent; Great
Britain is in many minds about it.
1t keeps obtruding itself in Washington. The
Americans do not like it. These United States
regard il as menace. All the fair words that
have been spoken and all the beautiful assur-
anccs that have been given have failed TO remove
our dstrust. So long as it cndures "the hands,
across-the-sca' speeches and the "blood-is-
thicker -than-water" talk will be at discount.
The alliance is there, and il can not be explained
away.
The American proposals for proportional dis
armament are based upon the death and decent
burial of this alliance. Try adding the strength
of the proposed British and Japanese naves and
then compare the total with the proposed Ameri-
can limit and you will see this is so.
If Japan and Great Britain are to break the
alliance, they will demand something in payment.
London and Toxic can not get it out OF their
minds that the easiest way will be to take Amer
ica in as partner and form triple alliance or
tripartite agreement, or three-party UNDER
standing. Such an arrangement would not have
the proverbial "Chnaman's chance" in this coun-
try Mere mention OF it makes the senate ir-
reconcibles snatch their battle axes from the wall
If the men from Toxic and London are doubtful
about this, let them listen at the keyholes OF the
senates conference rooms.
No recipe for SO sugarcoating an alliance
that this country will swallow it has ever been
concocted If the conference can make one, it
will achieve frst-class miracle. When will the
chess players of diplomacy learn that this coun-
try will walk in Gethsemane and face the cru
chxion rather than become party to alliances,
agreements or understandings, defensive or Of
fensive. I
One of the big jobs of the conference is to
find way to put this alliance to death pain
lessly and unobtrusivey. 1t is woven and
tangled with the Japanese demands "for a rea-
sonable economic outlet" in the Orient, with that
vague and sprawling problem of China and the
Far East's "open door," It must be dissected,
etherized and put away.
The Far East, n1omentarily lost to sight in the
drama OF the conference opening, remains the
heart of the problem. The Anglo japanese al
lance lies in the center Of that heart and at any
moment may become the over-towering issue of
the parley.