Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1921-07-20
NATIONAL EVENTS
Observations and Comments Written for The Post
What the Anglo-Japanese
Alliance Question Is

The anglo-Japanese Alliance Is
treaty between Great Britain and
Japan based upon an agreement ar
rived at in 1902. The treaty was re-
vised and renewed in 1905 and again
in 1911. 1t is now about to expire
and conference of the Premiers OF
the British empire, just closed at Lon
don has debated the ACCESSIBILITY OF
again renewing this alliance.
The alliance between the two coun-
tries was originally defense against
Russia and Germany, to deter these
powers from any dream of uniting to
overwhelm Japan, gain control IN the
far East and dominate the Pacific.
Conditions have been so changed by
the world war, that such possibility
no longer exists, and the treaty II
renewed at all would have to be very
radically changed. The attitude OF
the world toward special alliances IS
unfriendly, and it would be difficult
for either Great Britain or Japan to
take part freely and fairly in con-
ference of nations on disarmament
and world policies for peace, if they
were already bound to each other by
individual agreements concerning
these very issues.
This attitude on the part of some OF
the Premiers gathered at London to
discuss the renewal of the alliance,
and on the part of American and
British citizens and statesmen unoffi-
cially considering the matter, raised
a very serious question in England as
to whether the alliance could be re-
newed without sacrificing the friend
ship of America to some extent, and
also the affection of the Canadian
dominion. England is greatly deslr-
Gus of acting in cooperation with the
United States on all questions of
world peace, and Japan also wishes no
break in her relationship with this
country. On this point the editor OF
the London Spectator says, I'VE want
indeed, to put ourselves as near as we
can upon an equality with America in
the matter of alliances, and to be able
to saw that we, like themselves, are
not entangled in the meshes of diplo-
matte contracts"
--, Master Sar~aant Iosanh NJ w, :.
Bv general consent the decision re-
garding the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
has been put off until fall. The Jap
anese government has defended the
alliance as an instrument for the
peace of the Far East and in no sanse
a defensive alliance against the nit
ed States, and has given assurances
that the revised treaty to which they
would again agree would be in har-
monv with the League of Nations and
would take no advantage for the Jap
anese in China.
Meanwhile President Harding has
called a conference of the Allied
Powers on disarmament, the confer
ence to include a discussion OF 1he
Far East questions to which part OF
the conference China is invited 10 bi
represented. Great Britain France
Italy and China have accepted. Japaf
has accepted with approval the con
ference on disarmament, but raises
some question as to the conference OF
the question of the Far East. 1t Il
believed, however, that Japan vii
finally enter intellectually into Ia
plan.
# America, Great Britain and ia
pan enter upon an agreement as
result of the conference on disarma
mert, that will insure the peace o
the nations interested in the PaciHc
the alliance between England ant
japan will be Unnecessary.