The Washington herald., 1921-10-23

question of unqualified European
support for the American thesis.
On the other hand Europe will un-
dertake to act as the arbiter be-
tween America and Asia, and con-
troll of the situation will have
passed utterly out of our hands. It
will be Europe, more closely united
by common interests than Ameri-
cans yet suspect, which will present
programmes and suggest solutions
and back of all suggestions will
be the underlying necessity Of
avoidance of any act which may
ALLEVIATE Japan.
1t is not the United States, hut
Japan, that Europe is fearful Of. If
we fail to get our Far Eastern pol
icy established, II we fail to arrive
at anything more than a Limitation
of naval construction, we shall not
attack Australia or Indo-China- We
shall not seek to annex Dutch East
Indies. All the possible conse-
quences of our indignation and dis
appointment will not weigh for a
moment against the similar conse-
quences of Japanese resentment
And wholly apart from all senti-
mental questions, Europe has got
to look out for itself, II we won't
do business with II, II we won't pay
the smallest attention to European
needs and views, then, in the last
analysis, Europe will have to pay
attention to Japanese demands
That is the long and the short of
the whole matter.
Would Prefer Partition.
It is not true that Europe would
benefit equally with US by the
establishment of the open door in
China. Quite the contrary. the So
luton which would best satisfy the
British and the French would be an
extension of the old policy of
spheres of interest Let Japan have
the north. Britain the center, France
the south and let the three mutual
ly agree to respect the interests Of
each within the respective spheres!
This was the conception which, with
various differences due to condi-
lions existing at the moment, called
for John Hays open door doctrine,
although Russia and not Japan was
strong in the north in those days
and Germany was arriving.
II the United States were out Of
1t, this is precisely the settlement
which Europe would make and each
European power, and Japan as well,
would be far better satisfied than
they can ever be with the American
idea applied and free-for-all COM
petition all over China. America Is
the most dangerous of competitors,
because we are, all things con-
sidered, the best placed to dominate
the markets of China, IL political
and military influences are ex-
cluded.
Japanese Aid WA Valuable.
By such an agreement France and
Britain would be insured against
any conceivable Japanese aggres-
sion. More than this, they would be
certain Of at least a degree of
Japanese assistance were there to
be another European confederation.
And II Japan measured the aid she
gave her allies in the world ar
and conducted herself on the pay
as-you-enter plan" toward her
friends. her assistance was, never
theless extremely valuable. What
was Of far greater value, however,
was the security the alliaHce gave
Britain and France against any
japanese raid upon their colonies
of Asiatic interests.
But Europe cannot afford to
maintain its old policy against
American opposition. provided 1t
can find safe and satisfactory ad-
tustment with the United States.
The most satisfactory solution
would be the one proposed by Lloyd
George, namely, an Anglo-Amer-
ican-Japanese allionce, in which
France would certainly be included
ultimately, at least to the extent OF
guaranteeing her Asiatic colonies
and the sama suarantee would hold