Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-12-09
Ae.-.asA
new 4-POWER
ALLIANCE NOW :
BEING PROPOSED
Latest Suggestion Links U. S.,
Britain, Japan and France.
TO REPLACE OLD PACT
Proposal Means Agreement on Far
Eastern Tentative Draft
is Considered by Con .
ference.

Washington-The question of a
place the Anglo-Japanese alliance is
demanding increased attention am0ng
the arms delegates while they wait for
Japan to define her position on the
naval ratio
The latest suggestion contemplating
an intent to include the United States,
Great Britain, Japan and France has
developed to the point where a ten
tative treaty draft is under cOnsidera-
ton in some quarters. There are in
dicatiOns that the Japanese delegates
and perhaps the British as well, are
consulting their home government on
such a proposition at the same time
that they are asking for further in
structiOn in regard to the naval ratio.
On the part of the American govern
ment there apparently is no DISPOSE
ton to entertain an Entente proposal
Later such a suggestion may receive
consideration provided it includes no
requirements counter to American
public opinion.
Navy Far East Problems Linked.
Upon high authority it was said that
the naval problem as it was referred
to Toxic after the last meeting of the
Big Three, involves no proposal for
a political agreement of any charac-
ter but is concerned solely with the
naval and military aspects of the
situation
The American belief that the naval
question can be settled independent of
political issues apparently is not
readily accepted in all quarters.
A British spokesman recently de-
clared that the British view the naval
and Far Eastern problems were bound
up in the same sheaf and there have
been indications of a like opinion
among some Japanese.
Tangle Possible.
1t is considered possible that in the
present period of waiting the two
threads OF negotiations may become
so tangled in the foreign capitals as
to give the American delegation con-
siderable trouble in separating them
when the discussions are resumed. 1t
would not surprise some observers if
there should be an attempt to make
the final reply Of one or more Of the
governments conditional upon poll
teal agreement of one sort or an
other
The proposal for the f0ur-power En-
tente as now advanced is considered
an outgrowth of the suggestion Of
David Lloyd George that the Washing
ton conference might well consider
merging the Anglo-Japanese alliance
into an arrangement to which the Uni
ted States might be part. The Jap
anese have shown an inclination TO
take up that proposal.
U. S, Policy Not Disclosed.
These hints have never brought the
subject to the point of formal eX-
change Of views, however, Eor re-
vealed TO the foreign delegates just
how far the United States might be
willing to go in that direction.
Neither will the American represen-
tatives discuss the question publicly
but they are known to regard it as
fraught with many complicated pos
sbilities.
In every consideration of possible
treaty or international understanding
to replace the alliance the American
delegates have kept in mind the posi-
BILE temper of the Senate should it be
asked to ratify such an agreement.