Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-18
Japan Will
AskLinliton
Conference
Oriental Government Elk.
pected to Object to Dis.
cussion of Far East and
Pacific Problems.
Hughes Explains Stand

Chicago Tribune Omaha Rec Leased Wire.
Washington. July II. - Whether
Japan will make the effort prior to
the assembling of the disarmament
conference or the principal allied and
associated powers or after the con-
ference begins its session in Wash
irgton, it is taken for granted that
il will seek earnestly to have the
scope of the conference limited with
respect to questions affecting the
Pacific and the far east
Japan's official implied objection
to discussing these questions until
their limitation is defined is amplihed
by the comment in the Japanese
press and the statements of its
prominent men. From these it is
apparent that in withholding assent
to participation in that phase of the
conference, which will deal with far
eastern and Pacific matters, pending
a definition by the United States, the
Japanese government has a deeply
serious purpose suggesting suspicion
OF the objects of the conference.
No authoritative information has
beea furnished in behalf of Japan
as to its own views of the limita-
tions which it would place on the
deliberations of the Washington
gathering. This is not strange, in
vjew Of the fact that Japan has asked
the United States, "thc inviting par
ticipant," to furnish its ideas as to
character and scope OF the confer
ence.
Up to Conference.
Secretary Hughes has made an
answer to this request and it is the
understanding that he. takes the po-
sition, in behalf of President Hard
ing, that it is not for the inviting
participant" but for the conference
itself to determine what questions
affecting the Pacific and the far east
are PROPER subjects of discussion. It
may be added to this that generally
the United States government takes
the position that in conference de-
signed to remove causes of friction
that might lead to war, every ques-
ton coming within that description
should have the attention of tht
powers.
Japan takes the position that the
Shantung. question Is settled. Even
If it were not settled, according to
the understanding of Japan's atti-
tude. it would be no concern of the
Washington conference for the
reason that the disposition of Shan
tung is provided for in the treaty Of
Versailles, to which the United
States is not even a party. The
same contention might apply also to
the status Of the island of Yap, for
which Japan holds the mandate of
the league of nations.
Demand Open Door Policy.
Japan has been equally emphatic
as the United States in declaring for
the open door in China. but there
are many phases of this question
which probably will be considered
by the Washington conference.
Japan has obtained a number of spe-
cial privileges in China and the Chi
nese government has charged that
some of these were obtained Under
threats from Toxic, so it is certain
that China will seek to have the
Washington conferees take notice OF
its side of the case.
1t seems to be certain that the
Japanese government will bring be-
fore the Washington conference the
question of "racial equality" which
formed an interesting phase of the
peace deliberations in Paris. The
Nichi Nichi Shimbun, prominent
Japanese newspaper, declares that
as long as the powers practice racial
discrimination against Japanese in
the United States, Australia, New
Zealand and elsewhere, while de-
manding enforcement of equal privi-
leges and equal opportunities in the
far east, Japan should carefully con-
slider before joining the Washing
ton conference. This NATTER should
it be brought forward in the confer
ence, will be bound to assume an
important aspect, judged by the
manner in which it was stressed at
Paris