Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-25
Count Uchida in Washington.

Washington welcomes this week
distinguished visitor from Japan, who
Is no stranger, Count Uchida, one-time
Ambassador to the United States and
thrice foreign minister of Nippon. He
was dispatched to Paris to sign his gov
errment's name to the multiliteral pact
outlawing war, and is now on his way
home. In Great Britain Count Uchida
tarried a week for conference with the
British authorities, and he now plans
an unofficial sojourn in Washington,
during which he will pay his respects
to President Coolidge and Secretary
Kellogg.
japanese American relations have
steadily improved since the Washington
conference, though they underwent a
period of undeniable strain following
the passage of the 1924 American i'm
migration law. The So-called exclusion
clause of that act of Congress still
rankles in the japanese breast. though
time is exercising its modifying In
fuence and reconciling the Island En-
pire to an apparently fixed principle of
American policy.
The factor in Japanese American re-
lations which will inevitably be the OBJ
iect of discussion with Count Uchida
Is Japan's attitude toward New China.
Under the vigorous leadership of Secre-
tary Hughes, the ancient American pol
icy Of the open door in China and the
territorial integrity of that country was
reafirmed and covenanted at the
Washington conference. To that prin-
ciple the United States remains fixedly
devoted. Our recent lead to the world
in recognizing the government of Ma
tionelist China, by entering into tariff
treaty with the Marking authorities, Is
token of our abiding interest in the
welfare and independence Of the Chi
nese nation.
Japan has on repeated occasions pro-
tested that her interest in China is ac-
companied by no sinister designs Even
when the Tanaka government felt COM
PEELED to throw heavy attachments of
troops into Shantung last Spring, to
defend imperiled Japanese life and
property after the Tsinanfu outrage
against thsm, it continued to insist that
those measures were wholly protective
in character. Toxic emphatically de-
MED, despite the proximity of this force
to the border of Manchuria, that it was
to be employed for the purpose of ex-
tending Japan's already paramount
foothold in that great province of SOW
ereign China or of throwing itself across
the path of Nationalist Chinas armies.
Meantime, Sino-Japanese relations
have become dangerously embittered.
Toxic sent Baron Hayashi to Mukden
to restrain Chang Hsuieh-Liang, son
and successor of the late Manchurian
war lord, Chang Tso-Lin, from linking
the PROVINCES fortunes to Nationalist
China. China countered that act by
abrogating without notice its CONNER
cial treaty with Japan, a procedure as
sailed at Toxic as IAN outrageous viola
ton" of international law. In the wake
of these two events, Nationalist resent
ment was famed into fresh fury The
anti-Japanese trade boycott was re-
vived. All over China the cry was
raised that the Japanese are bent upon
q deliberate policy of thwarting Nation
alism's aspirations. The charge echoes
across the seas and is heard in America
Count Uchida is in position to throw
authoritative light upon Japan's real
purposes in China. His country has
vast and legitimate, interests there.
Americans will greet with satisfaction
an assurance that japanese statesman
ship plans to safeguard them without
jeopardizing the new China's chance to
live or flouting the worlds demand for
equality Of opportunity throughout its
whole domain.