The Washington times., 1923-07-13
SOV|ET-TEUTON-
JAP ALLIANCE.
R|D|CU[ED
Nippon Concerning Herself
Only With Trade Farley,
Officials Assert.
BY DUKE n. PARRY,
International News Service.

TOKYO, July 13.-Diplomatic and
official Tokyo was startled during
the developments of the Russo
japanese pourparlers by news
paper report published in Tokyo to
the effect that the ultimate object
of those negotiating was a three
power agreement between Russia,
Germany, and Japan. So strong
were the claims of those urging
this idea that semi-official denials
came from many Of those closest
to the then semi-official Russo
Japanese conversations.
Japan gives herself too much
credit for diplomatic sense" one
close to Viscount S. Goto, chief
negotiator for Japan. is quoted as
saying, ''to be looking toward the
day, even fifteen years hence, when
Japan may be even unofflclaiy
allied with Germany. /
1.-THE present negotiations are or
a purely commercial character, and
while de 3ure recognition by japan
of Moscow may be one of the re-
suits of the conference, Japan has
NO idea of looking toward an
alliance"
Potential Strength.
Claims that these three poten- |
TALLY great nations might be look. |
ing to the day when they would
have a political-perhaps a mill |
tary-alliance were urged for many |
reasons, chief among these being |
the idea that militarism as prac- |
ticed in Germany has had GER |
tain vogue in Japan, that certain |
natural characteristics are similar, |
and that a combination Of the |
three would be a strong combination
of powers in the future.
Further, it was brought out that |
Germany is the cultural home of |
many japanese; that Viscount Goto, |
chief advocate of Soviet Russia
and admirer of Germany-was him
self educated in Germc ny and that |
many Japanese will always owe |
Germany a debt for what Germany
did in the way of educating young |
Japanese in science and in other |
studies.
1t is a fact that the German en-
bassy in Tokyo has watched the |
preliminary negotiations between |
Tokyo and Moscow with much . in |
terest, and some assert that Am |
bassador Solf, Berlin's representa- |
tive at the imperial court in Tokyo |
and perhaps the strongest figure |
in the entire diplomatic corps, was |
constantly in touch with feeling |
throughout Japan toward Germany
and Russia, the idea of Ambassador
Soils interest being the possibil- |
ity of future political development
between the three nations.
Mime. SOlf Goes to Berlin.
An interesting sidelight on this
claim-and one quite probably bear
ing no relation to the claim what
soever-was the departure of Nine.
Solf, Ambassador Soils wife, for
Germany, by way of the TRANSIT
berian railway, and at a time when
the Germany-Japan-Russia rumor
was strongest
One enterprising japanese re-
porter stated that Russian repre-
sentatives had called at the Ger
man embassy and had given Ambas-
sador Solf some idea of the feel
ing of Moscow in the matter ana
that Nine. Solf would very probably
not only carry messages to Moscow,
but on to Berlin, as well. This
claim was disproved by another
newspaper on the ground that It
had been necessary for the Rus
slams in Tokyo to lend their aid
to Ambassador Solf so that Nine.
Solf might receive every courtesy
on the Trans-S Siberian railway,
which was at that time just being
re-opened to general traffic.
THE idea of Japan seeking an
alliance with Germany and Rus
STA is absurd at this time" one
well-informed japanese official
stated. Japan is going along with
the members of the four-power
seek to lead in a trade agreement,
with her near neighbor, it would
be poor taste for Tokyo at this time
to seek companionship with two
nations which certainly are no as.
sets to any associate in their pres.
ent state