, 1921-11-03

Wilson covenant because Il was In
tended to GUARANTEES the territorial In
tegrIy and political Independence OF
member states In the league of ma.
ions including China. the query Is
whether enough water has gon a
the dam TO make President Harding
and Secretary Hughes ready to apply
the doctrine OF article ten to China
Back OF It all is a desire to pre-
vent war. In favor OF the guarantees
Of China's territorial integrity Is the
argument that II all tho powers ir-
GLIDING japan sign on the dotted line
n pledge TO let China alone. the agree
ment will never have to been forced II
is the same line OF thought which &C
tuated Mr.. Wilson In urging article
ten, namely that a profession of re-
spect for territorial integrity made in
a formal treaty would DO too difficult
a hurdle for any nation to jump no
matter how strong might be hcr mil
itaristic elements or how far gone
might elements or how statesmen.
The drawing up OF a treaty or con
vention which would insure all m.
tons the open door" and pledge all
countries to respect China's territor-
tl and political integrity is the big
aim OF the conference. When once
a compact is in effect. whit use
would h Angio-Japanese alliance bar
Great Britain might be reluctant to
take the initiative in abrogating 1t
other powers would not hesitate
to ask for the incorporation Of a pro-
vision stating that all agreements and
alliances or understandings entered
into heretofore which may be incon-
slstent with the new treaty shall be
automatically considered as denounc-
ed or a~brogated- That would save
England the necessity of ,denouncing
the alliance md would absolutely re-
move any obligation on the part of
Britain to come to the defence OF ia
pan in the event OF future trouble In
the Far East.
To all this tho nnti-Japanese ele-
ments in our own country as well as
n the European powers shake their
heads obviously. what good. say
they Is any treaty with Japan. She
has adopted. they claim. the German
political system. What tho foreign
office may say Is no doubt sincere but
what the military party does is the
thing. Feeling that Japan
is ruled by a military clique tina the
japanese general staff does what It
pleases with tho edicts OF h Jap
anese foreign office. just as the Ger
man general staff used to ride rough
shod ovcr the foreign office and the
German admiralty made a scrap OF
paper out of tho pledges Of tho Cor
man Foreign secretary. there Is little
faith on the part OF some OF our army
and navy folk in the value OF any
treaty or compact.
Suspicion and mistrust is a hard
thing to combat. II runs all through
the Japanese-Chines controversy as
well as our relations with the a
East But tho United States govern
ment cannot officially take cogni-
lance OF that mistrust. 1t is true our
army and navy officers who have
been in the East constantly talk about
1t. The truth is. enough confirma-
ton Of Japanese militarism has come
to Washington to convince the most
skeptical that there must be some
thing back OF IL all and that II be-
hooves America to be prudent.
The Japanese Foreign office whose
good faith is not being questioned has
a problem on Its hands which every
one mere is anxious to make easier.
When the Japanese government EN-.
ploys American advisers and Ameri-
a newspaper men as publicity
agents, there 10 no frowning on the
part OF our officials. No. the hope
is that every opportunity VIII be
given he Japanese government and
people to see that America is not an
lxious for war. not anxious for the
building up OF innessant mistrust and
controversy but wants a cleanup of
angles N disputes which have led
to the rapid rise OF a mischievious
lingo spirit in both Japan and the
United States.
1t is not entirely a political prob
lem. For America it has an import