Evening star., 1923-02-08
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

American satisfaction over the pro-
posed French ratification Of the
Washington conference treaties is
sis which the French parliament lays
upon Frances alliance with Japan
That alliance was concluded in June
1907. and is without time limit. In
that respect it is even a more formi-
dable agreement than the much dis
cussed lo-Japanese alliance, which
was automatically prolonged for an
other year in November. 1922.
1t becomes null and void upon the
final exchange of ratifications among
the signatories of the four-power Pa
cific treaty. The alliance between
France and Japan, on the contrary
as was stressed yesterday in the
French chamber of deputies, contin-
ues in force. No attempt was made
at the Washington conference to deal
with the Franco-Japanese alliance.
though it was a subject of informal
conversation. Its almost forgotten
existence was revived in consequence
of sensational reports. inspired by
soviet-Chita quarters, that France
and Japan were i'm an Illicit and Sc
cret military bond in the far east.
Treaty Not Secret.
The 1907 alliance was in no respect
secret treaty. 1t was promulgated
in the manner customary among the
powers at that time and appears in
verbatim text in MacMurray's stand
ard compendium on Treaties and
Agreements With and Concerning
China" The Franco-Japanese agree
Inent, negotiated at Paris June 10,
1907, between Mr.. Eurino, Japanese
ambassador to France and NJ Pichon,
French foreign mil nj G
THE government of his majesty. the
Emperor OF Japan. and the govern
ment of the French republic. ami
mated by the desire to strengthen the
relations of amity existing between
them and to remove from those re-
lations all cause of misunderstanding
for the future. have decided to con-
clude the following agreement:
Recognize Integrity Of China.
The governments Of Japan and
France, being agreed to respect the
Independence and integrity of China.
as we'll as the principle of equal
treatment in that country for the
commerce and subjects or citizens of
all nations. and having a special in
terest in having order and a pacific
state of things guaranteed, especially
in the regions of the Chinese empire
adjacent to the territories where they
have the rights of sovereignty, pro-
teCtlon or OcCupdtlOn, engage to sup
port each other for assuring the peace
and security in those regions, with a
view to maintaining the respective
situation and the territorial rights of
the two contracting parties in the
continent of Asia"
There is little difference in actual
meaning between the provisions for
mutual support as laid down in the
Franco-Japanese agreement and
those contained in the Anglo-Japan-
csc treaty. The United States gov
ernment both before and during the
Washington conference permitted it
TO be known that the American peo-
pie were bound to consider the per-
petuation of the Anglo-Japanese al
lance inimical to their interests in
the far east.
Must BE Attacked.
Among the purposes mentioned in
the preamble of Great Britain's pact
with Japan is "the maintenance of
the territorial rights of the high con-
tracing parties in the regions of
eastern Asia and of India and Of the
defense of their special interests in
those regions" The agreement goes
on to provide THAI n either party Is
of opinion that its respective rights
as mentioned in the preamble are in
jeopardy, the two governments will
communicate with each other fully