The Glenwood post., 1922-11-30
Uncle Ted's Bed Time Stories
Current Events for the Children
and Grown-ups, Too
FAR EAST REPUBLIC
KEEPING PLEDGES

KEEPING PLEDGES
81 haven't any use for them,' said
Freddie as he launched in the bathtub
the little ship model which he had just
completed that afternoon in manual
training class. "'Those Japs are ready
to start war with us the minute they we
got any excuse at all, and l don t think
they would even wait for the excuse''
Maybe you don It know what you re
talking about replied Jack. Gas l
remember from some things Uncle Ted
has said, there was a time when we
were close to war with Japan, but not
now. President Harding and those
men with him at Washington have
changed all that
That s all talk,'' said Freddie,
"where's your proof3"
Listen here, Freddie" said Ruth,
who was watching the boys run their
ships, Uncle Ted is down stairs now
and he hasn It told us a story for some
time. Let's go down and ask him to
tell us about Japan and then it will be
settled and you boys won It be scrap
ping about it,
"That S a fine idea," spoke up Jack.
Come on, Freddie, take your boat out.
Wen take them down with us.''
Another story, eh?" said Uncle
q ho
room, ships and all. "what have YOU
been doing?"
Sailing our ships in the bathtub, /"
said Jack.
And Freddie IS been saying the Japs
are gong to fight u.s." replied Ruth.
You tell him that g wrong. Uncle
Tedlo
so you are talking about war with
japan and sailing your little boats in
the bathtub. Well, that gives us a good
start for story. In the first place the
chance of war with Japen was pretty
good three of four years ago, but not
now. Never since our first contact
with Japan have the relations between
the two countries been as fine as now
President Harding, through the Wash
lnSton conference on the limitation of
arms, accomplished more toward bring
ing about a spirit of good feeling and
understanding with Japan than through
anything else that has been done in
THIS direction in the history of our
country. This was followed bv an nm.
Official visit of Secretary of the Navy
DENLY to Japan this summer"
But didn't they agree at that meet
ing to destroy some of their ships? ~
asked Freddie.
They did promise, Freddie, and not
only that, but they are keeping their
promise. Not only their promise as to
the junking of certain ships is being
kept, but they are also giving to China
more than Shantung which was also
agreed at that conference. When we
stop to remember that Japan did not
nave to keep her pledges in these mat
ters until the treaties were ratified. II
means even more. Japan completed
withdrawing all her forces from Siberia
on October 25th and she will shortly
withdraw from the northern half of
Sakhalin, which is a province of Rus
sia. The program of scrapping her
ships and cutting down her naval
strength has already been started.
From al reports it is plain that a.
a result of these understandings, Japan
Is not going to allow anything to stop
her determination to carry out every
pledge she has made to the world. By
doing this she is naturally improving
her position with the rest of the world.
SO the present administration, through
the Washington conference and the
notes exchanged with Japan by Secre.
tary Hughes, has not only swept away
the cloud of war with that Far Eastern
republic, but has also helped Japan
reach the position where she could take
her place among the nations of the
world who are booking to better days.
"Two of Japan's b'gge.r ships, the
Kaga and Tosa, WI be destroyed by
using them as targets, and the battle
ships Hashima, lkoma and Kurama are
being stripped of their big guns and
turrets. In December the big naval
"