Great Falls tribune., 1921-01-28
Ole SPIRIT
0fAMERICA
q a I L Y
EDITORIAL
D DIGE E. S +

| = ~ - ~ 4
Prepared Exclusively for The Tribune
| Todays Subject:
"ACCIDENT" OR "INClDENT" IN
LANGDoN'S OEATH7
The death of an American army of.
| ficer at the hand of a Japanese sen.
try in Vladivostok has been officially
explained away to the satisfaction OF
the majority Of American editorial
writer's, but out of the incident there
seems to have grown feeling, ex.
pressed by number of newspapers
| that this incident has raised the ques.
ton of Japan's right to have sentries
in Siberia at all.
The Pittsburgh Dispatch (Ind. in
terprets the American position in the
matter as being exceedingly firm:--
THE outstanding feature Of the sit
uation is that the United States gov
ernment insists that in the future no
elsewhere in Siberia challenge an
American officer and, as an emphatic
conclusion, requests Japan to explain
by what right she is in Vladivostok
and Siberia. That is the diplomatic
equivalent to informing Japan that the
United States holds that the Japanese
have no right in Siberia, and unless
excellent reason can be advanced,
America will ask Japan for retire
ment."
This view with milder conclusion,
is upheld by the Chicago Daily News
Ind.) which feels that the ''interna-
tional Importance Of the affair lies in
the fact that Japanese sentry was in
position to kill an American naval
officer on Russian territory" but adds
that the American policy in calling
attention to Japan's illegal occupation y
does not imply undue stress on irri-
tating stipulations" The Hartford
Times (Dem.) suggests that this Incl
dent and the consequent diplomatic
correspondence may mean "the turning
point in the already delicate situation
that exists between Japan and the
| United States"
| But since orders have now been is
sued by the Japanese government to
the effect that American officers are
no longer to be challenged, the Lexing-
ton Leader (Rep.) is satisfied that the
Japanese have done all that could be
SAPSStCu- OAc lAluXy 0uu IuAk
one thing is that
sian city Of VladiNostok altogether.
She has no excuse for remaining there.
She is guilty of breach of faith in
being there now. Her presence, to
| which this deplorable incident is due,
is standing witness Of her perfidy
in international relations"
~
cially pronounced, the Chicago Trib-
une Ind. Rep makes the supposition
that:
The Japanese might retort by en-
qulring the reasons for the mainten-
Haiti and elsewhere in our neighbor-
hood. Our reply would be that they
were stationed for reasons of Ameri-
can policy in the sphere Of the United
States. Japan may advance the same
reason for the presence of her troops
in Siberia"
Recurring to the question Of the
shooting of Langdon the Tribune adds
that lit is dangerous to scatter Amer
lean soldiers over the face If the
globe This policy it believes will be
altered with the new administration.
This danger to our troops, 'espe-
cially. those Americans who are in con-
tact with the Japanese" the Buffalo
Express lind. Rep declares, would
be considerably lessened by "a more
friendly recognition of Japans right
as an ally or an associated power to
occupy Vladivostok and other points
in Siberia pending the settlement Of
the bolshevik question:
Recent editorials in the Japanese
press which tend to minimize the guilt
Of the sentry who killed Lieutenant
Langdon have reflected what some
writer's consider menacing attitude
of Japan concerning Siberia. The
Baltimore News Ind.) discovers. es-
pecially in one editorial which urges
''the withdrawal OF all non-,Iapanese
troops from Siberia possibility that
Japan is building up an attitude with
in the country which attempts to JUS
tify the occupation Of Siberia and
which 1T knows would not pass cur
rent BY ordinary ethical standards
among outsiders Another phase of
this attitude is seen by the Wichita
Eagle Ind> which remarks that 1T
is interesting to note that the Jap
official version of the killing repeat
edly alludes to the American as the
foreigner The laps are evidently
feeling pretty much at home in the
stolen city of Vladivostok."
Another paper which looks askance
at Japans apologies for the incident
is the Sioux City journal tRep.). It
Remember the story of Joab and
Amasa. Art thou in health, my
brother?' said Joab to Amasa, And
Joab took Amasa by the beard with the
right hand to kiss him. But Amasa
took no need to the sword that was
in Joab's hand. so he smote him there
with in the fifth RIB. :. and he died.
The Langdon accident seems to be
about as accidental as the death of
Amasa.'
A further strain" is added to jap
anese- American relationships by the
incident in the opinion Of the Seattle
Times fInd) while the Pittsburgh
Leader prog REM points out that
there is "strain" enough already
throughout the world 1t recalls Lang
don's own statement that Everybody
in Siberia HAS gone crazy" and de-
clares that this ";s not an isolated IL
lustration'' of what diplomacy has
done.
Some, Ike the Roanoke Times
(Dem.) and the Chicago Post Ind.)
see carelessness in Langdons action
which in part exonerates the soldier.
who probably believed he was only
doing his duty. The Boston Post
lind. Dem.) goes so far as to say that
"of course no one dreams Of repard