Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-19
AMERICAS POLICY IN
THE PACIFIC DEALINGS
There is No Hope of Avoiding Conflict With Japan Unless Our Fa
Eastern Problem is Seized Upon Immediately and Settled to the
Satisfaction Of Both Parties, Says Western Paper.
From the Chicago Tribune

hegemony Of Asia but her control Of
all the unplumbed resources Of that
continent. If japan remains dominat-
ed by ideas OF military glory, and ex-
pansion by force. IL she falls heir 70
the potsdam delusion Of world domina-
ton such aRgrandizement would be
the most serious threat 10 our peace
and independence we have ever been
called upon Co face. We must decide
now, unless we are 20 continue our
present policy OF drift, whether IL is
practicable or profitable for us TO try
to forestall this development Of Japa-
nese power.
But II We adopt policy with this
end Ia view we must realize that il
will bring Us promptly into some sort
of collision with Japan or. at any
rate, make certain such a coIlision as
soon as Japan considers herself ready
for the test"
We have already thwarted japanese
plans on occasion. notably during the
recent war when the "twenty-one de-
mands" were made upon China, and
later when we Intercepted Toxic as
TO Japanese forces In Siberia. Under
the Lansing IshiI agreement we have
acknowledged that Japan has special
interests in the Asiatic mainland.
which the Japanese foreign Office has
interpreted as paramount interests. +"
Previously John Hay had brought for
NAL acceptance of the open door"
and territorial integrity" principles,
and altogether, although we have not
pursued any course very persistently
effectively, we have given Japan rea-
son To believe we have determined on
4 policy of obstruction. Under the
autocratic system of Japan her policy
Is the result Of well considered plan
ming and il is probable that the Japa-
nese do not realize that our acts are
likely TO be impulses rather than links
in a formulated purpose. Therefore,
il is important that we should make up
our minds as to what path we intend
to follow and then proceed to negoti-
ate on that basis.
If. however, we decide that u is
impracticable or unwise to place our
selves athwart Japan's path Of ex-
aansion in Asia, we ought to try to
work out an agreement as to the CON
ditions and limitations Of this process
II Is likely that for the time being a
middle ground will be reached on
which America and Great Britain will
try to hold balance as between the
rights Of China and Siberia on the
one hand and the exigent needs Of
the japanese people on the other. But
Il viii be a rather dubious and un-
stable arrangement. and We ought not
Ii allow ourselves to accept It as con
elusive and 90 to sleep upon that
comfortable assumption.
In any case II is imperative that
we should study the Chinese and ST.
borlan situations. with the possibilities
If resistance to or cooperation with
Japan. We must estimate trade and
development possibilities and what in
terest we may have in an active sup
port Of the independence and integrity
Of those countries.
These are very difficult matters and
We are not very well prepared to come
TO CONCLUSIONS with regard to them.
But it seems clear to The Tribune that
We cannot afford TO go on drifting.
for we can only drift into war-a war
for which we shall be as .unready as
Japan is prepared.