The Washington herald., 1921-08-28

recognize japanese possession OF FoTmosa, taken
from China, quarter Of a century ago, as undebat-
able, like our acquisition OF the Phlippines-taken
from Spain in 1882 Or shall we come down closer
to the present moment and concede japanese domi-
nation in Korea and possession OF Port Arthur, the
fruit of the Russo o-Japanese war?
Japan asks much more, she asks that we recog-
nize as outside of all discussion what has happened
up to the end Of the world and the proclamation
of the treaty of Versailles. And unless all signs fail
Japan will stand fall upon this contention. But
this not only gives japan Shantung, with the kiau
Chau concession balancing the Port Arthur but in
reality 1t confirms her supremacy in Manchuria. In
Mongolia it recognizes her in interfering
within China, in promoting revolution and subsdiz
ing factions. In truth. It demands in terms the
ognition by us of what must be viewed as a super
Monroe doctrine, asserted by Japan with respect OF
all of the Pacific coast from Siberia to Indo-Chna
@ UPPOSE we on our side intcrpose with propo-
- stion to accept the situation which existed up
to the moment Of the world war, can hardly do
less but undertake to procure reopening OF the
question raised by the settlement OF Versailles. Sup
pose in addition, we insist that for the future the
integrity of China must be assured the independence
of Siberia recognized Suppose insist that the
open door must henceforth be the established policy
in the Far East. This is, in reality. what are
maintaining in principle Then Japan and the
United States sitting together about table must
decide whether they each modify their positions
as France and Britain did in 1904 or insisting each
upon its own view; separate to try out the question
by war, the only alternative method.
But not to talk with Japan alone. We
have asked Britain and France and Italy sit in"
1t follows that totally complications will result
France, Britain and Italy at odds in Europe and
their quarrels have deadlocked the supreme council
in which sit but do not vote on purely European
questions. Neither France Italy much
about the Far East. France has IndoChina and some
nfe islands in the Pacific but outside
the area of immediate discussion. Italy has nothing
east of the Somali coast.
But France and Italy exceedingly anxious to
gain the United States support for their European
interests for example, both solidy united in their
wish check British expansion in the Mediterranean,
to prevent the creation of Greater Greece which
SHALL acting for Britain, give the English control Of
the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Straits guarded
by Constantnople Obviously we may have their
support in the Far East provided we give them ours
in the Near East But this is getting down to the
level of political primary.
Yet, after all, this is what has been happening
in the supreme council for three years. This is what
happened at Paris all through the conference Amer
leans are accustomed to think in terms OF abstrac-
tons far as International conferences are con-
cerned, but Europeans know better. If France votes
with England no one magines that the French heart
or the French mind has been penetrated by British
argument or dominated by the appreciation OF inn
mnent justice No, nothing of the Sort the European
mind looks round to see where France got hers
A S long as the agenda of the Washington
n ference was limited to the discussion OF naval
disarmament there field for bargaining In
any event restriction of nations military and naval
forces will be arrived at only by the full and free
will consent of the nation concerned. 1t is incon-
ceivabe that the British would to reduce their
naval strength under pressure from combination OF
powers say of the United States, France and Italy.
NJ ho,p N ma
Britain, japan and Italy.
But when the bars were lowered for discussion
of the Pacific problem all changed. So far as
the Pacific problems concerned the votes OF
France and Italy viii be determined by their esti-
mate of the advantage to themselves, not in the