The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-02-10
WORLD A GAMER
BY ACHIEVEMENT
PATH or PEACE sMcoTHEo BY
# CONCESSIONS. siMoNDs SAYS
SUMMING UP WORK
United States Has Sacrificed MOST,
Japan Least, In Matters Given
Approval; Was Dismissed
on Monday

washington. Tine WASHINGTON so'tig
ference has passed into history, ana,
although President Harding dismissed
1t Monday, the formal phase OF the
first international conference held ~
the United States ended several days
ago.
OF what was done here much must
await the test of time and experience,
but In two directions the achievement
was cleared and seems certain to en-
dure. BY a political treaty 1t has
cleared up the situation In the west
ern Pacific, so far as it affects the
United States, Great Britain and Ja-
pan. BY naval treaty we have
abolished competition and limited
naval strength as between these three
nations for a period of fifteen years.
The fact that France signed the Pa
cific treaty and France and Italy the
naval agreement does not have equal
Significance, although both circuln-
stances are of certain value. What
is most important is that the three
great naval powers have arranged
their political interests and regulated
their naval programs in such fash
ion that the possibility of war is re-
moved and the expense Of oompeti-
tive building abolished.
+ - /.
Successful in dealing with Anglo
Japanese-American questions, the
Washington conference has only par
TALLY succeeded in matters affecting
the mainland of Asia and has frankly
and undeniably failed wherever issues
raised here We're related to present
European problems as yet unsettled
and differences between European
countries which remain acute.
In the case of China the Washing
ton conference obtained substantial
advantages in the matter of Shantung
although not quite an unconditional
Japanese surrender, 1t adopted a
number of interesting resolutions,
which, If faithfully translated into ac-
ton, will have great benefit for the
Chinese; but it did not and could not
persuade Japan to, retire from Man
churia Or in any complete fashion re-
lease China from its grasp, and the
same was equally true in the matter
of Siberia.
Systematically speaking, the great
success has been Japanese. In return
for very moderate sacrifices in the
matter of Shantung sacrifices which
had been already forecast, even pro-
missed to Mr.. Wilson in Paris Japan
retains, subject only to formal protest
by the United States, her position both
in Siberia and Manchuria.
In return for an agreement not 20
fortify further some islands which are
unimportant and others which are al
ready securely fortified, she has ex-
tracted from the United States pledges
of nonfortification which make it i'm
possible for the United tSates to EN-
ploy its fleet in military fashion be-
yond the Hawaiian Islands
For the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
which was no longer of value, Japan
has obtained four-power treaty
which adds greatly to her prestige as
a world power, insures her against at.
tack or challenge from the United
| States and leaves her with hands free
to deal with both China and Siberia as
she may hereafter choose. Save as thp
United States might ally itself with
Britain and make use of British naval
bases, there would be in the future no
way pf American intervention in the
| far east.
British success has lain in two
things. In exchanging the Anglo-Jap.
anese alliance for the four-power
treaty. which to all British minds is
/ a symbol of close association in the
future between the two great English.
speaking nations in the world, and in
addition Britain has avoided a naval
competition with the United States
which promised either bankruptcy or
ultimate resignation of supremacy mn
on the blue waters which Britain has
ruled so long.