Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-22
JAPAN'S MISTAKEN VIEW
OF THE oPEN-DoOR POLICY
That Doctrine Was Evolved to Protect
Trade Rights by Preventing the Dis
memberment Of China

JAPAN is aware that the settlement Of
- Pacific problems at the Disarmament
Conference Will involve an exhaustive dis
cussion Of her own aims In China. She also
Is aware that her Chinese aims are incon-
sistent with the aims Of the other nations
to be represented at the conference.
This is why Japan has delayed her formal
acceptance of the invitation to be repre-
sented at the conference. She is seeking to
get advance guarantees that there will be
a minimum of interference with her Chinese
program.
This is natural. 1t is what every other
nation would do in like circumstances. But
whatever guarantees, if any, Japan is able
to secure there will remain a conflict of
interest. not only between Japan and the
other Powers, but among the other Powers
themselves. If there were no conflict Of
interest there would be no need for con-
ference.
The purpose Of the conference Is to ar
range for mutual concessions in the interest
Of the peace Of the world. There can be no
comprehensive disarmament program until
there is general agreement among the
interested nations on the controversial points
in the Pacific.
The report from Toxic that the Japanese
are preparing to demand that the open door
policy shall be extended from China to in
clude the whole world dscloses part Of the
japanese plan of campaign. The japanese
statesmen must be conscious of the funda-
mental weakness of this position, yet it is
so fair specifically to demand universal
open door that the japanese are counting
on creating sentiment in favor of it among
the uninformed, a sentiment which they
hope will affect the actions of the members
of the conference.
But the open door policy is not what
Japan would have US and the rest Of the
world think it is. The term was first used
in diplomacy when the United States, after
taking the Philippines, announced that the
door would be open in the islands without
discrimination for the trade of all nations.
We took this undeveloped territory as an
incident of war. but we did not intend to
exploit it exclusively for our own benefit.
Then when the Powers were getting ready
to partition China and to take for them
selves large blocks of territory to which citi
zens of other Powers would not be admitted,
Secretary Hay checked them by securing
from them an agreement TO recognize and
protect the territorial integrity of the empire
and to maintain the open door for all ma
tions.
The motives of the United States may be
called selfish because she was seeking to
protect the rights of her citizens TO do busi-
ness in all parts of the Chinese Empire.
But the effect of the action of the United
States was to prevent the division of the
rich and undeveloped territory of a great
people among lot of monopoly seeking ma
tions. 1t preserved the sovereignty of China
by preserving for the citizens of all the ma
tions an equality OF opportunity i'll Chinese
territory.
The question of racial equality was not
involved; neither was the question of immi
grafton. Yet the Japanese would have us
believe that an open door in all nations
means the acceptance In all nations of i'm
migrants from Asia on equal terms with
immigrants from other parts of the world.
1t means nothing Of the kind
The regulation Of immigration is matter
Of domestic policy entirely under the control
of each nation. The United States Congress
has recently passed law which arbitrarily
limits the number OF immigrants from each
nation who may enter the country in a year
and no nation has protested. The Euro
pean nations have at times forbidden the
emigration of their nationals, and no one has
disputed their right to do it.
Most of the European nations refuse to
consent to a transfer Of allegiance Of their
citizens. That Is why naturalzed foreigners
were compelled to 20 back to Europe to
uHnG IN tHe VI IuclF HdIlFe COuHtrltb
during the recent war. II they had not gone
when summoned they would have been ar
rested on the charge Of desertion from the
army IL they had later returned to the place
Of their birth on a visit. England alone Of
the great Powers admits the right Of her
citizens to change their nationality but she
did not do this until the late sixties of the
last century.
The regulation Of immigration is a ques-
ton Of domestic economic policy. The Dis
armament Conferences b to discuss foreign
policy In the Pacific a. q preliminary to a
reduction of military and naval budgets.
It 10 to attempt to secure an agreement that
no nation will force itself upon another
nation, but that all nations will respect the
sovereignty Of other nations, and thus CO.
operate in maintaining an open door for
trade for the benefit of the whole world.
Japan Is aware Of this. Nevertheless she
will continue her campaign to preserve as
much as possible Of her policy to dominate
China and the Far East for her own in
terests.