Arizona republican., 1921-07-04
IRepubIIcan A. P. Leased wIrel

WASHINGTON, July a. Baron Shidehara, the Japanese ambassador, in a formal statement today, discuss ing the Anglo-Japanese alliance. de clared that by no stretch of the imagination can it honestly be stated that the alliance was ever designed or remotely intended as an instru- ment of hostility or even defense against the United States"
 Negotiations looking to the re- newal of the Anglo-Japanese alliance have not yet begun" says the state ment. Tn the meantime, a campaign seems to be actively at work misrep- resenting the possible effect of the alliance upon the United States.
 "The Anglo Japanese alliance, In its history of nearly 20 years. has been twice renewed. In each case. the fundamental policy underlying it has remained unchanged It aims per- manently to preserve and to consoli- date the general peace of the far east. The original agreement of 1902. in line with that policy, was intended to localize any war which might be force dupon either contracting party in defense of its defined interests or vital security. It was made when China was under menace of foreign dRkfeSSlOH. dnG tUe 1iiitca pldLCc showing the utmost friendliness tow ard both parties to the alliance viewed the compact with sympathy and approval.
 Tn 1905. when the alliance was re- newed and revised to meet changed conditions that followed the Russo Japanese war. no thought occurred to the statesmen of either country that the United States might possibly become a potential enemy of either, and for that reason, and for that alone, no provision was inserted talk ing so remote contingency into consideration.
 "The alliance was again revised in 1911, and article " of that agree ment contains the following provis- ions:
 "'Shoul deither high contracting party conclude a treaty of general arbitration with a third power. 1t is agreed that nothing in this agree ment shall entail upon such con tracting party an obligation to go to war with the power with whom such treaty of arbitration is ir force
 This provision. in its relation to the United States has often been made the subject of conflicting inter
  however the circumstances which led up to it's inclusion should at once serve to remove all doubt regarding it's significance. The idea of revision of the alliance of 1911 was conceived primarily with the object of facil 1 tating the negotiations which were | known to be then in progress between London and Washington for the con clusion of general arbitration treaty Neither Japan nor Great Britain ha: ever contemplated under the alliance any casus foederis prejudicial of ol | inimical to she interest of the United States; and any plan designed tt remove the possibility of an armed conflict between the United State: and Great Britain was. of course l agreeable to Japan.
 Tt was in pursuance of this policy | that the quoted provision or arucls 1 " was adopted.
 ''The same policy inspires Japa1 as strongly today as ever before l has not in any degree been erected by the fact that the Anglo Amerlcaf | general arbitration treaty falled t' secure the approval of the Uhltes | States senate; nor is it practical t' carry out legal analysis Of the ques tion as to whether the peace com mission treaty. signed and ratified b, the United States and Great Brit ain in 1914. should be construed as general arbitration treaty within m meaning of Article " of the Anglo | Japanese agreement
 For. apart from that question, l | was already we'll understood at thu time of negotiating the existing agree ment that the alliance should .n n' | case be directed against the United | States.
 "In explanation of Japan's attitude Count Uchida, the Japanese foreig'
 minister, made the following state ment to the budget committee of tn l Japanese house of representative ol 1 February 4. 1921:
 ".As far as I understand, whel
 Article " of the treaty (Anglo-Jap anese alliance) was inserted, tn | United States was specifically Il | mind. and therefore. as a practica matter the question whether the gen
 eral arbitration treaty mentioned il Article " has been ratified by tn United States senate or not make
 no particular difference. In othe
 words. looking at the matter from
 broad point of view, we can satei
 say that already at the time of con
 clusion of the treaty tAnglo-Japanes
 alliance) il was understood that ther
 should he no application of this treat,
 to the United States.
 "'Japan is naturally anxious t
 strengthen the ties of friendship an