Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-06-22
BRITAIN W|THH0LDS'
CONFIDENCE mus.
ON Japan ALLIANCE.
Only Information Reaching
Here Officially Declared
Parliament UtteranCes.
JAPAN BEING CONVINCED
U, S. FRIENDSHIP IS VITAL
Some Toxic Statesmen would
Choose America Against Eng
land if Occasion Arose.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.

Choose America Against Gne
land if Occasion Arose.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Great Britain has failed to take the
United States into her commence III
tho negotiations going on at LONDON
and Toxic with respect to the re-
newal Of the Anglo-Japanese alliance
The Department OF State deloer-
ately nnade q point Of that fact TO-DAY
in dispelling the rumors of the last
few days which for one purpose OF
another have sought to give the I'M
preston that England was hand ana
Glove with tho United States ana
wasn't attempting anything tnat
would possibly involve the British on
the side of the Japanese in the eVent
of a Japanese-American war.
The Washington government oCssn s:S
insist that Great Britain Is Obliged
to keep America informed of the prog
ress Of the negotiations, but 1t is IN
diRnantly denied that America Is
narty directly or indirectly to the
negotiations The United States gov.
eminent is in official ignorance, not
only as to the negotiations for the re-
neWal of the alliance, but as to the
exact effect of the present alliance on
tho attitude of Great Britain toward a
possible conflict between the United
States and Japan.
Statement Only Information.
The latest and only information
available to the Department OF state
concerning the British attitude was
transmitted when the undersecretary
for foreign affairs was asked recently
yxyh q
terms of the treaty arrangement be-
tween England and Japan preclude
the possibility Of assistance to japan
in any conflict which might arise be-
tween that country and the United
States. and II assurances on this point
have been given the American gov
ernment in connection with its con-
sideration of q naval building pro-
gram"
The question was asked largely to
determine whether it would be neces-
sary for England to maintain her
OF this kind and whether it would be
necessary for the United States to
keep on building = big navy because
of the excuse Of . possible con9ist
with Japan. - *
simply Removes, Obligations.
The answer publicly made in parlia-
ment disclosed that the present An
ElO.JaDaNeS0
signed in 1911 and expires next month
simply provided that Great Britain
was not obliged to come to the as
sistance of Japan il the latter got
into a conflict with any country with
which England had general ar ar
United States Senate had under con-
sideration such a treaty between Eng
land and America, but it failed Of
ratification.
subsequently,. however" declared
the British under-secretary of for
eign affairs. who was speaking. Of
course, in behalf of the British gov
ernment, "a peace commission treaty
was signed and duly ratified on Sep
tember Is, 1914. (known as the Bryan
matte methods of adjustment had
failed. all diplomatic disputes be-
tween the countries of any nature
whatsoever other than those disputes
the settlement of which is provided
for are to be referred to an investi-
sion treaty is not technically a gen.
eral arbitration treaty, but their OBJ
jects are the same.
My honorable and gallant friend will
understand from my answer that our
relations with Japan are SO arranged
as not to involve America. AS regards
the second part of the question, no
official communication has been made
to the United States of America, as
there is no reason to believe that the
responsible authorities are in any
doubt as to the true position"
Only Record of Attitude.
The foregoing declaration was made
on March / of this year, and was COM
mupicated in the natural course by
the American embassy at London to
the Department of State and consti-
tuteS the only record Of the British at
titude which the United States has
been given.
The British officials place their en-
phasis on the language of the Bryan
treaty. which obliges Great Britain to
submit to years investigation dis
putes of any nature whatsoever which
would seem to cover any dispute aris-
ing as a consequence of Britain's al
lance with Japan il the latter should
get into war with the United States.
Nevertheless. the British dominions.
whose representatives are gathered
in London, are not altogether satis-
ned on this point. and it may be nee
essary for the declaration to be re-
peated for its effect on those parts
Of the British empire which are in
clined to be apprehensive that the
them on the side of the United States.
Assurance Not OmciaI.
so Tar as ene american government
Is concerned, on the other hand, the
assurances publicly made in parlia-
ment arc by no means official Thew
were not given to the American gov
crnment directly. and as such have
not much more value than a news
paper interview with subordinate
official. The United States is in Of
ficial ignorance, therefore. of the
British attitude, and it would not be
surprising If today's frank confess
sion of that fact drew from the Brit
ish government an official assurance
substantially the same as that made
which is quoted above. This would
20 a long way toward removing ap-
prehensions concerning a British
American dispute in the event Of war
with Japan.