Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20
The Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

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The Anglo-Japanese Alliance.
A successful outcome of the confer
ence on armament and far eastern
questions can be hoped for only If
there is the utmost frankness In dis
cussion Of the issues involved. The
government and the people Of the
United States stand ready to give full
and unprejud;ced consideration to the
views Of all the participating powers.
There are no subjects. directly or re-
motely bearing on the problem, which
this government and the people Of this
country are unwilling to have brought
before the conference. In the inter-
ests Of the great prize to be achieved,
the door is open to any matters which
may be considered to come within the
scope Of the conference call. And 1t
is expected in return that the other
powers will not have their sensibilities
wounded If the United States asks for
the same full and unprejudiced con-
sideration Of things which it regards
as vital to the detectives sought
peace and better understanding and
the tightening of the burdens OF arma-
ment.
One matter which the people Of this
country regard as bearing directly and
vitality upon Pacific and far eastern
problems Is the alliance between
Great Britain and Japan. Belief is
deeply implanted that assurance Of
the abrogation Of this treaty ought to
accompany any agreement for the
limitation Of armament and any set.
Element Of far eastern questions. In
fact, the United States cannot regard
far eastern questions as settled SO
long as this treaty is in existence.
This is not because there is any ex-
pectation that the United States ever
will become involved in a war with
Great Britain and Japan. Such a war
is unthinkable, and the idea is mon
strous to the American mind. But the
conference. fortunately for mankind,
is dealing with realities. and it cannot
close its eyes to the fact that, as mat
tiers now stand, no assurance can be
gwen that such a war is not among
the possibilities Of the future. We are
told that it is inconceivable, and per-
haps it is. But a few years ago it was
ineonceivable that the United States
ever would send an army Of millions
Of men to fight on European soil. Yet
1t came to pass.
The theory Of eternal friendship
with our kindred Of the British Isles
is dear to American hearts, but the
British alliance with Japan is an &C.
tual, tangible thing which contributes
nothing to increase the hope that that
friendship always will endure. 1t is
true that there was inserted In the
treaty a clause which has been inter-
preted in England to mean that Great
Britain cannot be called upon to en-
gage in war against the United States.
but authorities on international law
are not agreed as to the validity and
binding force Of that clause.
No one questions the good faith Of
British statesmen in their present in
depreciation Of the treaty, and the
probability that it always would be so
interpreted is strengthened by the at
titude Of the British dominions; but in
dealing with realities account must
be taken Of the fact that the high i'm
probability of a thing does not remove
it from the realm Of possibilities. And
there has been no satisfactory answer
to tho question: II tho treaty Ii not to
operate in case Of war with the United
States, why continue it?
When the alliance was negotiated,
nearly twenty years ago, Russia
menaced both Japan and British In
dia, and the growing naval strength
Of Germany gave concern to England.
Today both Russia and Germany have
ceased to exist as military powers
SUFFICIENT to cause apprehension in
either Great Britain or japan. Ger
tainly neither Great Britain nor Japan
is menaced by either France or Italy.
This leaves the United States Al the
only power to which the terms Of the
treaty could, for many years to come.
be expected to apply.
But granting that the Anglo-Japa.
nese alliance never could bring the
United States and Great Britain into
armed conflict. it still shadows the
possibilities Of better understanding,
and stands as an obstacle to an adjust
ment Of far eastern questions that
would make for enduring peace. In
the peaceful negotiation Of settle
ments this government cannot and
must not be Handicapped by q formal
alliance which binds Great Britain and
Japan to act together on issues a.
they arise. The arrangement would
be too one-sided to inspire good will
and mutual trust.
These facts are sufficient to explain
the profound conviction in America
that abrogation Of the Anslo-Japanese
alliance should accompany settlement
Of far eastern problems and q naval
holiday. Wholly unexpected ana un-
beiievable things may happen in ten
years, a. witness the ten years just
gone by. II this country ia to be
pledged for q decade not to increase its
defenses, the American people want
to be assured that there h no
existing combination Of powers bound
by s1IiancA which ,utraatchAa M In