The Washington herald., 1921-07-31

side and the British would follow their colonies
~ UT if the japanese no longer think of attack,
n they prepared to meet us frankly in
- the matter OF the limitation of naval arma-
ments il they recognize that in this respect the logic
>of events gives them choice it is not less plain
that they not prepared and can be pre-
pared to resign what they have acquired in the Far
East by means of three wars by consistent and per-
sisent national policy And it must be recognized
that to ask them to resign these advantages is to ask
them to abandon what means to them the future
safety Of their country.
Mr.. Wilson went to Europe in 1918 convinced
that all of the peoples of Europe ready to lay
aside their nationastc sentiments their traditions
their aspirations which dated back to the very night
of time and join in common agreement to preserve
world peace. But no sooner had he reached Europe
than he discovered that people ready to
abandon anything, which belonged to their past or,
in their minds constituted their future. He found
Briton, Frenchman, Italian Poles Rumanian. Czech,
Greek, Jugo-Slav, all equally determined and these
determinations are written into the treaty Of Yer
sailles and its pendant documents.
TINE story of the conference of Washington cam
not be different. The issue of peace
with Japan must rest with the United States
and not with the Japanese. 1t must turn the ex-
tent to which we apply the principle Of the Open
Door" The door has been, shut, do mean to
force it open? In that shall ultimately come
under Japanese influence and control. Do we intend
to effect release? Then must fight to do it.
At Algeciras all of Europe undertook to reassert
the integrity of Morocco, while recognizing the spe-
cial rights of France and Spain, but in reality the
independence of Morocco had become fiction,
which could be restored only by war In the Agadir
time Germany once more called up the fiction, but
confronted with the fact that she could establish the
freedom of Morocco only upon European battle6elds,
she accepted some Congo blackmai and retired from
the Moroccan situation forever.
THERE is wide chasm between the Far East
of John Hay and Of Charles E. Hughes In
- the years that have elapsed Japan has arrived,
she has become world power and acquired domi-
nant position Whatever she agrees to in words, her
position will remain in fact We must, in the end,
recognize that position and retire doctrine of the
"Open Door" challenge the Japanese position and
go to If it is language desire, mere formal
testimony to the vitality of doctrine unmistakably
dead, Japan will give it, the Lansing-Ishi agree
ment demonstrated but If it is the fact desire,
then must create that fact and the sole method
is by force of arms
When went to Paris we asserted that
wanted nothing for ourselves and everything for the
world. So far we were concerned got what
asked for; as for the world it respectfully de-
clined to accept view of what was good for il.
At the Washington conference we shall undoubtedly
affirm equal disinterestedness. We shall quite
curatey declare that ask nothing for ourselves
we do not concede to Japan, as to all others But
the trouble is that Japan has got something and the
net effect of activity would be to deprive her
of it. So Washington may yet recall Paris
Copyright, 1s21)i