Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-20
HOW THE PACT WAS MADE
by Frederic J. IIaskIn


Washington, Dec. ia shroud inl
which to bury the Anglo-Jspanesel
Alliance Is the way one acute OBJ
server characterizes the four-power
pact which now stands as the great
achievement OF the conference.
II is said by those who know the in
side workings OF the conference 10
represent a real triumph for American
diplomacy. Not that a real triumph
was difficult In the circumstances.
The American delegation had all Of
the best cards In it's hands and in
order 10 win its chief objcctives IL had
To use ordinary horse sense and stand
firm. That In good deal more than
American diplomacy has generally
done.
That the four-power pact does rep
resent long step toward the accom-
plishment OF the chief American OBJ
iectives in the conference seems TO be
the concensus Of the best-inforned
opinion. The only unfavorable opin-
/ ion comes from certain irreconcilables
! in the Senate, who are opposed 20 any
form OF agreement with foreign ma
tions.
The old phrase "entangling ALI
ances" viii not apply TO this new
agreement. however, for IL is in no
sense an alliance. IT does not bind US
or seek to bind us. TO any action. Of
fensive or defensive, nor does It bind
any Of the other contracting parties
TO such action. It Is merely an agree
ment 10 talk things over In case OF
trouble. and further statement that
the insuiar possessions Of the powers
concerned shall remain as they are
This means for US chiefly that Our
position in the Philippines Is not 10 b.
a matter OF dispute.
The agreement Is thus seen, on III
positive side. to amount TO very little
II expresses an intention 20 talk thingi
over In a pacific spirit and that II
about all. The real significance Of tn
instrument is that Il completely su
persedes the Anglo-Japanese Allianc
and that II signifies the acquiescenc
Of those two powers in the American
, point of view.
The British Plan.
/, II Seems 20 be generally recognize
now that the British delegation cam
10 the conference 70 perpetuate tn
! Anglo-Japanese Alliance IL IL could d
so without antagonizing the Unite
| states. Japan, Of course, came wit
J the intention Of keeping the allianc
in effect II possible. Japan had every
. thing to gain by the alliance an
, everything to lose by its abrogatior
= The advantages Of the alliance {
Cr-44 Dit ~.fs
II WIS suggested in a previous Has
o kin letter that perhaps the chief res
. son why Britain wanted the allianC
was because she shared with Japa
a desire 10 check the spread Of r.
J. publican ideals in the Orient. II hs
also been pointed ouS that for a gre,
many years the gist Of the Diplomat
fof Great Britain, as the strongest Sc;
i power. has been to combine with u
n third-strongest against the secon,
strongest.
y Whatever the motive may hay
been, British press propa ganda In Ii
II. early stages Of the conference was a
for a renewal of the alliance. II
said that this campaign was stoppe
when the Americans served notice O
the British that the renewal Of III
q alliance would on no account be TO
Grated. Lloyd George IS said 10 hay
n been the one who made the sudde
n agreement of the delegates, after a lor
o stalemate, pos ible. He is said to haV
II cabled the British delegation 20 aban.
> on all efforts for a renewal Of Il
Is Anglo-Japanese Alliance, or for
n. tripartite alliance including the Unit,
10 States. The present four-power pa
l. was then quickly arranged. II repr
sents an explicit recognition on q
part Of Great Britain that the Amer
y. can point of view must prevail in 4
Pacific.