New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-06-24
The Far East

The Far East
The plea of General SHUTS,
South Africa's eminent statesman,
before the British imperial confer
ence, for cooperation between the
British realm and the United States
naturally has been read with SYM
pathetic interest in America. Sell
dom was any nation so greatly
complimented.
The good impression Is not
weakened by the frank acknowledge
ment of General SHUTS that more
than concern for world harmony
leads him to long for such union;
that he is for it for the nationalist
reason that to his mind sit seems
clear that the only path Of safety
for the British Empire is path on
which she can walk together with
America" No one will think the
less of General SHUTS for his ad-
mirable candor. It is possible to
serve national ends and world ends
at the same time. Great Britain
and the United States, while guard
ing their own future peace, may
contribute to the peace Of every
. nation.
General SHUTS favors writing
into any renewal Of the Anglo
japanese alliance any limiting pro-
viso we may ask. He would have
Lloyd George, as to this, merely an
amanuensis to President Harding.
This ne would consent to not so
much to please us as because Of his
belief that in itself it is sound pol
icy for Great Britain. In view of
this declaration and the way it was
received, those who would foment
discord between English-speaking
peoples must think of something
other than the Anglo-Japanese- all
lance to feature as a suspicion-
breeder.
But to amend the Anglo-Japanese
treaty is merely negative. The
problem of the Far East requires a
positive policy. What is it to be?
What program is Great Britain will
ing to support? Will she agree, with
her dominions and with us, that the
right of one country to exclude the
immigrants Of another is plenary
and absolute and not to be con-
strued as an unfriendly act? United
support of this doctrine would re-
move vexing part of the Japanese
problem.
But affirmation must go a step
further. Nearly a generation ago
the United States thought that the
Far Eastern question had been
solved by the general acceptance of
John Hays "open door," All the
principal nations signed the pledge
to leave China alone. Japan con-
spicuously favored doctrine that
fenced out exploiting Europe. But
step by step abandonment Of the
Sopen door" has come. The doc
trine that Japan's propinquity gave
her special rights was set up in
stead. The Anglo-Japanese alli-
ance furnished protective screen
as Japan moved slowly toward the
absorption Of Corea, Manchuria
and, in the Shantung case, OF China
proper. Our Mr.. Lansing ex-
changed notes with a Japanese rep
resentative, and in effect scrapped
the work of John Hay. We also
accepted the propinquity doctrine.
Will Great Britain join with this
country in securing to all nations
the right to safeguard their unity
by control over immigration and in
reestahlishing throughout the Far
East freedom of the "open door,?
1t she is so willing the Far Eastern
question is not likely, at least for a
long time, to be cause of interna.
tlonai anxiety. Having rid the
world of one Balkan trouble. is
craftsmanship so inept that it will
allow China to become another set
of Balkans?