Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-08-30
FROM OUR EXCHANGES
EDITORIAL COMMENT NEWSPAPERS WHICH
OR MAY NOT CONFORM WITH THE OPINIONS
AMERICAN)


provinces, it is not now necessary to
reiterate what has been fully and Of
ten set forth on this page. Suffice it
that the Japanese had rights to pro-
tect, both large and real; had to safe
guard claims and privileges based in
sentiment, secured by treaty provi-
siOns, and made scarcely less than i'm
perative by today's expanding trade.
The equation she was called upon to
solve, in short, might be called criti-
cal; assuredly it was one of marked
difficulties-madet the harder in that
an aggressive factor in it was Moscow,
maintaining an attitude at once pow
erful and of questionable sincerity,
despite Georgi Tchitcherin's asser-
tions that the Soviet Government de-
sired to participate in the Kellogg
Pact negotiations, in line with its
expressed wish of being a party to
movements aiming to bring about last
| ing peace and disarmament Is it
not noteworthy, these being the facts,
that the Tanaka Ministry should so
directly and readily have agreed to
stand among those renouncing the
armed settlement" ESQ calledD of
disputes, in favor of arbitration?
Yet another point is to be made.
Ever since the passing of the existing
law covering immigration into "the
States" the Japanese people have felt
keenly that they had been discrim-
mated against, and in a way gravely
| to wound their pride. This means
much in land where national honor
isles of the MikadO. 1t was not that
any question was raised as to the
right of the United States Congress to
do what it did. 1t was rather lin
deed, emphatically) that objection
was taken to the way in which it was
done; Insulting" was the word openly
used in this connection, and not yet
discarded. Without here rearguing
case which it is anything but easy
to set forth in proper fairness to both
sides, all informed observers of inter-
national contretemps long have ap-
preciated that it brought to pass re-
grettable state of affairs-one to call
for nice handling. The chancelleries
of Europe, without exception, went
further than this. The unofficial ex-
pectation of a sometime-soOn Japan
ese-American conflict was general.
This judgment was utterly wrong. but,
none the less, its very existence rend-
ers Tokyo's pledge to eliminate war
made at Washington's request and, in
way, to Washington-a matter of
striking significance.
Again, how often was the ubiquitous
Man-in-the-St Street heard to comment
on the militarism of Dali Nippon?
Most of this was loose talk, little if
at all better than sensationalism: the
fact remained that it passed current
and was mischievous. In the face of
this, note what takes place. A JAP
anese Cabinet credited with being es-
pecially positive" in policy ("stiff,"
that is; even militaristic) has been
among the very first to lend it's sup
port to an antiwar plan enunciated
by the present Government of the
country against which its hostility
was allegedly directed.
Nor is there any least question just
ly to be raised of Tokyo's entire hon
esty, both in statement and intent.
Japan has carried herself consistently
through the postwar years to win and
hold the confidence and trust of her
sister nations. Her complete and
prompt honoring of all her obligations
during the decade since the Treaty
of Versailles was signed has frequent
ly been spoken of, and deservedly so.
None of the laborers in the Geneva
vineyard has been earlier among the
international vines or has worked
there more whole-heartedly.
Those best versed in the problems
centering in the Pacific area will most
rejoice that the enlarged promise of
continuing peace, given by Mr.. Kel-
logg's multilateral treaty proposition,
has been so broadened and deepened
along the Far Eastern arc of its great
circle. 1t is an outstanding milestone
on the path to nightly improved in
ternational conditions.
Christian Science Monitor.