The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-11

enc. They involve considerations of
the relations between nations and
their colonies.
Unfortunate Situations.
In every negotiation for any treaty
whatever, situations arise as to which
public discussion would be universally
recognized as unfortunate. This WIS
is true of the negotiations leading up
to the four-power treaty as it is to the
preparation of every other treaty.
But it is also true that the great bulk
of he negotiations leading up to the
presen four-power treaty might Just
as well have been carried on in pub
lie as in private.
Also, and most important, in CRITICS
,, ing the Washington conference for
having practiced secrecy in connection
with this particular part of its work.
truth and fairness demand it should be
said that as to the other parts of the
work of the Washington conference,
and as to the conference as whole,
more-infinitely more-of the nego-
| tiations were carried on in public than
at any other similar conference ever
held 1t is decidedly unfair to lay too
much emphasis on the fact that his
/ DOIllOH VI Iuc WOIh VI Tic w
! conference was carried on in secret
One Objection
One objection made to the four
power treaty is that its main purpose
i is to afford a substitute for the Anglo
Japanese alliance, and that in assent
! ing to the four-power treaty America
| is paying larger price than ought to
have been demanded by Great Britain
Co. h
abrogation of the Anglo-Japanese al
| lance. 1t is said that Great Britain
and Japan ought to have been willing
/ to abrogate that alliance without ask
| ing us to help them provide a substi
tute for it. 1t is said that they ought
to have done it as an act of good viii
i toward the United States.
| 1t is a fact that the AngloJapanest
alliance originally was made a defense
against the aggressions of German!
and Russia in the Far East. 1t i!
also obviously fact that Russia o.
Germany are no longer in a position
to be aggressive in the Far East, ant
that, therefore, this original reason
for the creation of the Anglo-Japan
csc alliance has disappeared.
Since the original reason has dis
dppedTSU, II is dISueu ny muse VIII
/ reason this way that the allianc,
ought to have been thrown overboart
without asking anything as a subst
tute for it.
Sound Argument
I Against this there is a sound argI
ment based on international courtesy
Japan was very proud of her allianc
with Great Britain. The Japanese go,
eminent would have been much en-
barrassed to explain to their peopl
why this alliance with one of the tw
greatest nations of the western worl
had been terminated. Great Britai
could not say to Japan, I'VE ar
through with you now Great Bri
ain was in very embarrassing pos
ton.
: She knew that the United State
: own dominions, including Canad;
| New Zealand and Australia, did nc
r like it. The spokesman of these d.
: minions had told Great Britain tha
, Ethey did not like it.
On one occasion, when the spoke
: man of Canada was telling Lloy
George that the Anglo-Japanese all
! ance ought to be abrogated, if for n
better reason than merely the fat
) that it was Objectionable to the Uni
ed States, Lloyd George is said
|: have replied: You talk as if yo
$ were a citizen of the United State
+ rather than of the British empire
Great Britain could not dismiss j;