New-York tribune., 1921-09-26
Settle Pacific
Disputes First,
Is u. s. View
Continued from page sns)

CONTINUED from paus ene)
more or less disturbed about the pro-
posed renewal of the Anglo-Sa pancse
alliance. When the alliance was first
made there seemed, so far as could be
observed from here. to be good reasons
for it. Renewal this year, however.
seemed to have no object with which
the United States was in sympathy.
Many of the yellow papers painted the
thing frankly as an Alliance agains st
the United States.
The truth was that the alliance gave
Japan feeling of security in actions
III the Far East, and an aSsurcdres .
that the United States. no matter how
it light protest against violations Of
what this government thought was
right and proper in that part Of the
world. would never 20 to the extent of
declaring war.
Not only was Japan's backbone stiff
fencd by the alliance, but, because of
! the fact that Britain was the only other
country in the world besides the United
! States which could seriously threaten
Japan, and particularly The only one
which had large interests in the Far
East. and her alliance with Japan made
it difficult for her to make serious
protests against any of Japan's actions,
the United States was left as the only
country in the world which could and
would voice these protests.
Therefore, in Japan, the United
States has seemed for some time to be
the only nation in the world which was
standing athwart what Japan regarded
as her natural path to the accomplish
ment of her ambitions. Anti-American
feeling, inAamed by the jingo press.
was rapidly mounting as result of
! this situation.
Imperial Conference Results
But then came the imperial confer
ence at London, and Hardng's oppor-
tunisy At this conference of the Pre-
miers of the British Dominions it was
at once manifest that the renewal of
the Anglo-Japanesc alliance, which was
| to expire next year, but which runs
on until it is denounced, was bitterly
opposed by four of the great dominions
! The Premiers of Canada, Australia
! New Zealand and South Africa all de-
clared in public statements--not con-
tent with their assertions inside the
conference = that the Anglo-J apanese
alliance must not be renewed except or
terms satisfactory to the United States
These dominions naturally have sym
pathized with the United States or
American opposition to japanese i'm.
migration and land holding, and they
wanted to make sure that in any con.
troversy which might arise between
Japan and the United States the British
Empire was not found arrayed on the
side Of Japan. Meantime a sentiment
IN England itself began to grow agains
the alliance. greatly to the embarrass
ment of the British Foreign Office
which felt under great obligations tC
Japan, and to the Japanese govern
ment, which saw the advantages tt
Japan from the Anglo-J japanese ALI
ance rapidly blowing out of the window
Finally it was decided that the bes,
thing to do for every one concerned wa.
to do nothing at all, and the confer
ence adjourned with the understanding
that the alliance would not be renewed
for another definite term of years, bu1
on the other hand it would run along
subject to the provision that it mus
be denounced one year before it coult
be actually abropated.
SO that the British Foreign Office
found itself rather impotent to carry
cut what it regarded as its obligatio
and the Japanese found the Anglo
Japanese alliance a cracked staff which
might easily snap just at the momen
1t might be most sorely needed.
But, the treaty not having been de
satisfactory to the United States, cs
! pecially as this government found il
practically impossible to achieve BY
diplomatic means the restraint O,
Japan desired in the Far East.
1t was then that President Hardins
proposed the conference, hoping to &C
complsh what has been outlined above
and also the agreement by all the coun
tries to cut down their expenditure:
on ornaments, so that taxes in all thu
countries involved might be reduced
AT this point it is we'll to point ou
that the greatest handicap with which
this country goes into the confercnc,
is the pacifst sentiment. This govern
ment is better able to keep up with tn,
armament race than any country which
Will be represented at the conference
t wants to reduce its own taxes, bu
the need for so doing is not as i'm
peratlve as in Britain, Japan, Franc,
or Italy. The pacihst sentiment, how
ever, intimations from foreign capital,
indicate, is being counted upon to fore,
TINS government to make conces essions
Japan is anxious to placate thi
country on the surface if not in &C
tuality. Only by this method can sh,
be sure of genuine renewal of tn,
Anglo-Japanese alliance. But Japan
winch Joined the conference probnbl,
with more reluctance than anv othe1
nation, will be fighting defensive bat
tie from the beginning.
she wants 10 hold on to everythjnf
she has gained and give up nothing
She would like to refuse to agree t
every one of the points enumerated
Further, she would like to comnlet,
her present naval building program
despite the tremendous taxation II i
imposing on her people. This program
is called the "eight and eight" program
because 1t is grouped around eight nev
battleships and eight new battle-cruis
ers, al of which would be complete,
by 1928. Indications from Japan ar,
that she will hight to the last ditch t.
AVOID abandoning this program.
China IN the conference is thu
saddest spectacle of all She is no
even capable of having spokesmer
stand up and speak for united China
The Peking government is recognize d
and VIII be represented, but the i'm
portance OF her represe entatves will b,
tremendously discounted by the fac
that South China, through the Cantor
government, is repudiating Pekine ane
declaring Picking has no right to rep
resent the Chinese people at all.
China is anxious about Shantunr
and about the maintenance of the oper
door. She fears and dstrusts Japan
based on long experience, and wants ts
be guaranteed that Japan will not be