" "fSSTpp1
The Commoner
VOL. 21, XX 2
10
r&
f? $
Treaty Prevented Possible Trouble
Over Anglo-Japanese Agreement
;(J3y K. Walker, in Houoton, Texas, Chronicle.)
London." Jan. 8. William Jennings Bryan is
ho hero of tho inoido story of momentous diplo-
atlc conlmunicationo carried on during those
oeks between ' Britain, Japan and America.
Those negotiations, according to the most re
liable authority, have at times been critical,
something of which has boon indicated .by cur
rent reports In tho press, but only as an echo of
the facta about ! which I have received exclusive
information.
Trouble arose directly when the British for
oign office began to examine tho Anglo-Japanese
troaty in the light of changed international con
ditions brought about by tho elimination of Ger
many as a world power. In normal circumstances
there would have bcon no doubt whatever about
tho renewal of tho treaty. Even the disappear
ance of Germany did not affect the main purpose
for which Great Britain originally entered into
tho offonsivo and defensive agreement with
Japan.
British intorosts to bo protected in tho Orient
had never soriously been threatened by Germany.
But tho now and important factors in world con
ditions, changing tho whole strategical aspect of
tho Anglo-Japaneso treaty, were tho rise of the
United States as a great military and naval pow
er and tho relations so modified between Amer
ica and Japan.
BRITISH-AM ERIC AM PEACE DESIRED
Friendship, or at least an assured state of
peace, with the United States is one of those
. fundamental things in British policy which gov
ern that policy without bffing set down in writ
ing, just as the British constitution is subject
entirely to tho unwritton laws of its being.
In tho new circumstances it was obvious that
an offensive and defensive alliance with Japan
could no longer bo made tho cornor stone of
British policy in the east, since tho potential
antagonism between Japan and tho United States
might at any timo threaten such an unqualified
Agreement. So tho troaty was carefully exara
'aiqd with a view to qualifying its bearing upon
knglo-Amerlcan rolations. A section of one
clauso was found to provide an opportunity for
a characteristic British compromise.
' Tho provision was that tho offensive clause
requiring oither of the contracting parties to
join with tho other in an attack upon any third
power should not apply in the case of a third
power with whom tho other contracting party
had a general arbitration agreement.
REFUSED TO RENEW TREATY
The British foreign office thereupon inti
mated to the Japanese government that tho
treaty would bo renewed, at tho same time lot
ting tho Mikado's ministers know that Great
Britain wjis going to negotiate a general arbitra
tion agreement with tho United States. This
information was also conveyed to Washington
and its communication accounted for more op
timistic statements regarding Japanese affairs at
that timo from the American state department.
The next step, however, was that the Japan
ese foreign mlnistor informed the British for
eign minister that if Britain wore going to make
a general arbitration agreement with the United
States, so cancelling the treaty as regarded
America, there could be no reason for renewing
tho treaty in tho oyos of the Mikado's govern
ment. This was when a more serious view of
the Japanese situation was indicated. The im
pression here in London was that Japan might
take some hasty action.against tho United States
if Groat Britain denounced the Anglo-Japaneso
-treaty without further consideration becauto
Japan s relative naval strength was at that timo
greater tlian it will bo 12 months later.
PLANNED GREAT NAVAL PROGRAM
Anyhow tho British foreign office decided not
. tt Eb,S? t0' alco thQ ohance t offending
tho United States by withdrawing from the pro
posed negotiations for a general arbitration
'agreement. Apparently it did give some 0N
fonso and Washington took the situation very
' JfiT ly ?a,n Gls was put u t0 emphasize Amer
ican naval intentions. Tho British gvernmont
was told unofficially that if necessary the United
states was prepared to enter a naval conatru?nn
ra? Wn,gland and eSbtaRdto
Aut-build their combined navies uoa ana t0
The British statesmen took a serious view of
this situation as every British statesmen must
whenever tho safety of the ways of communica
tions is in question.
At this point tho situation seemed as bad as
it could be. Tho fatalistic feeling which is prop
ogated by those who repeat, ofton quite idly,
that America and Japan will have to try their
strength some day, was in tho ascendant' here.
Tho dubious position of Great Britain and the do
minions in tho eventuality of a Japanese-American
war was deeply pondered. Quite apart from
the fundamental principle of peace with tho
United States, British sentiment, and still more
tho sentiment of tho dominions, could not sup
port a policy which might lead to Great Britain
being in honor bound to attack the United States.
It looked like a real dilemma.
" BRYAN SAVED THE DAY
Then somebody in the archives of the British
foreign office woke up. And this is where Wil
liam Jennings Bryan comes on the scene. For
that British foreign office official had come out
of his tranco with a copy of a certain treaty
entered into between Great Britain and the
United States in 1914 at the personal insistence
of Bryan.
The treaty was signed by Bryan and Viscount,
then Sir Edward Grey. The Importance of the
treaty lay in a single sentence in which the two
contracting parties agree that, "all questions,
including questions of national honor," shall
be referred to an international commission, and
that neither the United States nor Great Britain
should make any war-like preparations directed
against each other during the six months after
such questions had been referred to the commis
sion. In effect the treaty was, and is, a gen
eral arbitration agreement.
CAN RENEW TREATY
The present situation therefore is that Great
Britain can renew the Anglo-Japanese agree
ment without any fear of being drawn headlong
into a Japanese-American dispute. Should such,
a dispute come to a head, the diplomatic pro
cess will be as follows:
Japan will call upon Great Britain to join
her in war against the United States, according
to the Anglo-Japanese treaty. Great Britain will
reply that under the Bryan treaty the question,
being one of national honor, can and must be
referred to the international commission pro
vided by the Bryan treaty; that meanwhile, dur
ing six months, Great Britain can make no movo
of any kind against the United States; and that
her subsequent action must depend entirely up
on the decision of the international commission
: on which commission, it may be well to note,
Japan has no representation.
I am informed that no official communication
to this effect has passed between the govern
ments concerned buCthat the'position of Great
Britain has been made clear both to the Japanese
government and to the American state depart
ment. So far as Great Britain is concerned tho
incident is closed. It is suggested here that full
knowledge of the situation will have a bene
ficial effect upon Japan's attitude toward Amer-
l?aJn.12?ter8 in disPut between Japan and
United States.
DAWES REFLECTS, THE PUBLIC MIND
Charles G. Dawes, who, if reports liave been
correct, was seriously considered, as a member
!!? J"". ha either read himself
out or in the cabinet. It depends unon the
viewpoint. If Harding wants a prefectly fearless
i13!116:1!1 Belefi Dawea M no wanta S
h wni L? y dfmn th,e Preceng administration
he will not tender a place to Dawes
n,i2Se? ES fi wiVlesa1by th congressional com
mittee nvestigating charges of extravagance in
connection with the world war, Dawes vehement
ly denounced those who-would find teult 4tth
General Pershing and officials of the adminiSra-
Ea 1EhS dealt Y2tn the blg and immediate pro
lorns following the armistice. He told the rnnT
mlttee: "Don't forget that it was an AmVte?n
war, not a Republican or a Democratism? and
i&rhC0!? i th? BlorioUa work our amy wul
publican congress Is doing noir. It's tho politics
In our make-up. And 4t is that Tory thing that
Dawes is striking at. He unquestionably voices
the mind of, many people by denouncing tho
fault-finding course of the congressmen.
Dawes, mind yon, is a big man, Ho was tho
most forceful man, with the exception -of Mark
Hanha, in securing the nomination of McKinley.
He was McKinley's comptroller of currency. Ho
was chairman of tho general purchasing board
during the world war and was a staff commander
4n the A. E. P. He is president of the Central
Trust Company of Illinois.
If Dawes lias been able to stop muck-raking
by our congress he will have rendered a dis
tinct service. MJami, Fla., Herald. ,
HARDING PICKS BEffitiE TEXT TO TAKE
OATH OF OFFICE
(By Robert T.Small, In Washington Star.)
Marlon, -January 15. President-elect "Warren
G. Harding has chosen the bibical text upon
which he will take the oath of office as Presi
dent of the United States. He will aslt that the
samdfr Bible which George Washington used bo
opened at Micah, sixth chapter and eighth verse,
which reads:
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is" good;
and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to
do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly
with thy God."
Senator Harding's thoughts have been much
upon the Bible of late. For the past two weeks
he has been taking numerous degrees in Ma
sonry. First of all, he was elevated to the
thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite. Then
he was made a Shriner. More recently, and at
home here, in Marion, he has been taking, the
Royal Arch degrees. So he has been surrounded
by a particularly solemn religious atmosphere.
Tho President-elect commented upon this last
night and pledged his belief in the efficacy . of
prayer. - He believes Jhat prayer will help him
with the problems that are before him in the
white house.
Senator Harding said that the affairs of this
nation have been adrift for a long while, but as
he approaches his task faithfully that God will
make him equal to the responsibility. -
" '.During the past ten days,' he said, I havo
b,een taken far back into the story of creation
and I have found it adding to my sense of re
ligious devotion. Prayer grips the heart and adds
to oneX confidence.
"I believe in prayer. I believe in prayer in
the closet, for there one faces God alone. Many
times the outspoken prayer Is only for people's
ears. I can understand how those prophets of
old in their anxieties, problems, perturbations
and perplexities found courage and strength
when they gave their hearts to the great Omni
potent in prayer.
"How many things there are in Scripture that
wein our worldliness aever discoverl
After all, men are much alike. God made
us all in the same image and there is no dif
ZlnCVn u? u?cept as we have developed, or
L ,6 Ttef responsibility is shouldered
upon us. Then God makes men eaual to th.lt
responsibility. It is the touch of Zpons Sty
that makes human beings awake
adrift ?wTS?5en f thIs public h been
aaurt, Senator Harding continued 'and ia fn-
STkEW8 P- BuU a'mpVara SI
for I know through courtesy, confidence and
SnetiS1i?J?lcet2 iU8tlce' one win hive at Ws
roubUc n S,da?d.intellecta to this great
t2E . Tth their truth vice and direc
tion, we cannot go wrong.' "
of "Wrli0jnf,s concerned, the conference
A fSw "baa LMy came t0 an endtoday.
eek but LSS.d aLQ exPectd early next
part of thu ? S Hard nduring the greater
Sn mfnv nt K9 mains here will be settling
bTZ Jn5 rt?6r80?al a?d busiaess affairs.
ay the end of next week he should be undo
haveTeen" SSLV1-, The 8Q out "
Ses evlrv Snir or more' wI now
uurnes every now and then. The weathnn ima
BladlohroTo 'If SOnator' " $U
i throw off all cares and worries for n.
trustTaT in tt!?SjS??S5 ho ?aid: "
I shall be worthv S lZ t that are to com
f erred on ZeLL hoS?ra you ha eonr
look you i "the fAnn1!,1 conw back
ket the Si? ' aco attd b M to.aay: tl hm
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