New-York tribune., 1921-11-08
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purpose to maintain in those islands
the principle of the open door, thus
setting the example which it desired
other nations to initiate
The result was an ew orientation in
Far Eastern policy on the part of nil
nations. In 1901 began the rcadjust-
ment. have already spoken of the
circumstances in which the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance was created. All the
powers we're bound, though fsw of them
probably intended to remain so, by
their acceptance of the policy of the
open door. Whatever its ultimate de-
sign was, it was necessary that the
Anglo-Japanesc alliance should profess
to stand for "the maintenance of the
status quo" and recognize "the indie
pendence Of China and Corea," at the
same time proclaiming that the con-
tractants were "entirely uninf1uenced
by any aggressive tendencies in either
country"
Had another course been taken the
powers would, perhaps, have been in
vited to discuss the inexpediency Of
the dismemberment of the Chinese
Empire and even to rcnounce in the
general interest of peace, the encroach-
ments they had already made; for it
would have been evident that the
United States, great Pacific power,
unembarrassed in other directions,
would never passively allow the great
markets of the Far East to be by parti-
ton closed against it, and the mutual
Jealousies of tho powers, combined
with the absurdity of the whole theory
OF European eminent domain, would
probably have rendered war unneces-
sary. The whole case lay in the lap of
diplomacy, and Hay knew it, But he
trusted Great Britain and Great Brit
aims influence in Japan,
The Kaiser Feared
'The Yellow Peril"
AS for Germany. the price paid for
the lives of two missionaries was to
the Kaiser's mind nothing in COM
parison with his fear of what with
his usually exaggerated imagination, he
called the yellow Peril" Instnctively
he felt that it was an unwise policy
for Europe to attempt to break up
China and awaken the resentment Of
4O0,000,000 people under European rule,
and his feelings we're deepened by the
fact that he would be held to be the
| first aggressor, of which others would
gather the richest fruits. | can state
with positivcness that in the first
decade of the present century the
rolicy of Germany was, after the fait
accompli in Shantung, in favor of the
open door in China.
In 1908, in the belief that an ex-
change Of notes would go far toward
dissipating misunderstanding and also
strengthen the friendly relations be-
tween the United States and Japan,
Baron Takahira, Japanese Minister to
tie United States, and Elihu Root, Sec
rotary of State, mutually declared that
1t is the wish of the two governments
to encourage free and peaceful COM
merce on the Pacific Ocean; that their
policy, uninfluenced by any aggressive
tendencies, sis directed to the mainte-
nance Of the status quo in the region
above mentioned and to the prin-
ciple of equal opportunity for COM
merce and industry in China; that they
are determined to preserve the COM
mon interests of all the powers in
China by supporting by all the means
at their disposal the independence anc
integrity of China and the principle of
equal opportunity for the commerce
and industry of all nations in that en-
plre; and, finally, that should any event
occur threatening the status quo o.
the principle Of equal opportunity it
remains for the two governments to
communicate with each other in order
to arrive at an understanding as to
what measures they may consider it
useful to take"
1t is to be noted that the terms in
which the substance of this inter
change is expressed suggest that. as
basis, there had recently been an ex
animation of the Anglo-Japanese treaty
of alliance, from which some of it's
verblage was evidently taken. as. for
example, "uninfiuenced by any agrees
sivc tendencies" maintenance of the
existing status quo," and the reference
to the Independence and integrity Of
China" as we'll as to the final agree
ment that SHOULD any event occur
threatening the status quo or the prin-
ciple of equal opportunity" the two
governments would communicate with
each other in order to arrive at an un-
derstanding as to what measures thew
may consider it useful to take" the
Anglo-Japanese agreement reading, "the
two governments will communicate
with one another fully and frankly"
1t is quite clear that, in the case
Of the United States and Japan, this
agreement has not been carried out
Secret treaties were entered into af
fecting the maintenance of the exist
ing status quo," and "the independence
and integrity Of China" we're seriously
reduced without communication or un-
derstanding.
1t has, indeed, been Justly said that
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