The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-24

gle nation with the initiative Of the
new treaty. that credit should 80 to
England.
But, perhaps 1t is nearer the
truth to say that the treaty was
initiated spontaneously and stimuli.
taaneously by Japan, Britain, and
America. Each felt almost intui-
lively what the others had in mind.
All knew that the Anglo-Japanese
alliance had outlived its necessity.
and that It was out of harmony with
the spirit of the times. Mr., Han
hura, of the japanese delegation,
in comparing the new entente with
the Anglo-Japanese alliance. has hit
upon this happy smile.
Made 1t Acceptable.
1--WE have discarded whiskey and
accepted water 1t was perhaps
Baron Shidehara who took the
kick out of the original British
draft, and thus converted the treaty
into wholesome water acceptable
to dry America"
kawakami deals with a remark
able frankness upon Japan at the
declaring that japan Is
on probation in the eyes of the
powers concerned. This is his COM
ment on that topic:
Japan has gone home from the
Washington conference on proba-
ton. Although she made a fairly
good impression at the conference,
that impression is, as l see IT.,
neither profound nor durable. What
America and Europe will really
think of her will depend upon what
she will do in China and Siberia
in the coming few years.
"If Japan withdraws her troops
from Siberia without delay-if she
conforms to the spirit of the policy
adopted by the conference with re-
gard to China-if she proves her.
self more far-sighted and generous
in dealing with her neighbors, the
good impression she has made at
Washington will not only endure
but will grow better. Let her, in
reduce her army and curb
the power Of her militarists with
out awaiting an international agree
ment on land armament, and the
worlds estimate of her statesman
ship and good sense will become i'm
measurably higher. II, on the
other hand, Japan clings to old
ideas and practice in dealing with
Siberia and China, what success
she has achieved at Washington
will be Immediately set at naught
I'm saying this / am advancing
no opinion that Japan is the sole,
or even chief, sinner among the
powers. So far from it. / am pre-
pared to assert that her diplomatic
history il bright enough when com.
pared with the dark leaves record
ing the international dealings of
some western powers.
The Diverse Side.
Indeed, Japan could have made
herself an enfant terrible at the
Washington conference, had the
Occidental powers shown proclivi-
ties to make sport Of her foreign
policy and attempted to pursue her
relentlessly in Siberia or China.
Would it not have been somewhat
embarrassing to the United States
had Japan proposed, for instance,
that an international conference be
convened at Tokyo to discuss Near
Western and Caribbean problems,
the agenda of which might include
such matters as the foreign troops
in Haiti and Porto Rico, the terri
torial and administrative integrity
of the West Indies, and the open
door and equal opportunity in Mex
ico7 As for the European powers,
their books Of diplomacy are replete
with stories in the face of which
Japan's acts on the Asian CONT
nent need no apology"
A chapter is given to the settle
ment of the Pacific islands fortifi-
cations question. Kawakami offers
the following on that score:
when the Japanese delegation
failed to secure the alteration of
the capital ship ratio and was
obliged to accept the $50 ratio as
originally proposed by the Ameri-
can admiral Baron Kato approached
Mr.. Hughes with view to reach
an agreement for the cessation OF
further work on the Notifications
and naval bases in the Pacific.
ITO this idea the American dele
cation was favorably disposed. In
several conversations between
Hughes, Balfour and Kato II was
agreed that the status quo should
be maintained as to the fortified
tons and naval bases in the re
gion of the Pacific" with the ex-
ception Of Australia, New Zealand.
the Hawaiian Islands and Japan
proper. 1t was then understood that
japan proper did not include the
BONN Islands and Amami- Oshima,
and that those islands should there
fore come within the zone in which
the status quo was to be main