BRITAIN'S ORIENTAL ALLY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2245, 3 September 1914, Page 7

BRITAIN'S ORIENTAL ALLY

CONDITIONS OF THE TREATY WITH JAPAN

DEFENSIVE ONLY

The question that naturally arises at the present juncture is," says* the "Sydney Morning Herald, "what may have brought Japan into tho field?' Her immediate interests, as far. as can bo judged, are in no wise by the present conflict in Europe. The German fleet in the East is not sufficiently strong to be a menaco to her territorial sovereignty. European forces are not at all likely to invade her chores. The secret, doubtless, lies in her treaty obligations. She is bound, in certain circumstances, to throw. m her lot' with Great Britain. It is- interesting, therefore, to see what this agreement involves. Object of the Alliance. "The first treaty of alliance entered between Great Britain and Japan was 6igned on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lausdowne, wfie British Secretary of State for Foreign Allaire at the time, and by. Viscount Hayashi, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan at the Court of St. James's. It provides more particularly for the integrity of Korea, which was then assailed. Three years later this treaty gave place to another of a more far-reaching character, and which was to have had a currency of ten years. In July, 1911, however, while this treaty had still four years to run, it was renewed in practically identical terms for a further leu years' period, so that it will not now expire till 1021. The preamble of the treaty, as revised, is as follows:— " 'The Government of Great Britain and the Government of Japan, having in view the important changes whicu have taken place in the situation since the conclusion of the Anglo-Japauese Agreement of August 12, 1905, and believing that a revision of that Agreement responding to such changes would contribute to general stability and repose, have agreed iipon the following stipulations to replace the Agreement above-mentioned, such stipulations having tho same object as the said Agreement, namely: (a) The consolidation and maintenance of the general peace in the regions of Eastern Asia and of India j (b) the preservation of the common interests of all Powers in China by ensuring the independence and integrity of tho Chinese Empire and the principle of equal opportunities for the commerce and industry of all nations in China: (o) the maintenance of the territorial rights of the high ing parties in the regions of Eastern Asia and of India, and the defence of their special interests in the said regions." Details of the Treaty. "In order to carry out tho objects here set out the high contracting parties have mutually bound themselves in the following stipulations :— Article I—it is agreed that whenever, in tho opinion of either Great Britain or Japan, any of the rights and interests referred to in the preamble of this agreement are in jeopardy, tho two Governments will conminuicate with one another fully and frankly, ,and will consider in common the measures which should bo taken to safeguard those menaced rights or interests. "Article ll.—lf' by reason of unprovoked attack or aggressive action, wherever arising, on the part of any Power or Powers, cither high contracting party should be involved in war in defence of its territorial rights or special interests mentioned in the preamble of this agreement, the other high contracting party will at once come to the assistance of its ally, and will conduot ■the war in common, and make peace in mutual agreement with it. "Article lll.—The high contracting parties agree that neither of them will, without consulting the other, enter into separate arrangements with another Power to tho prejudice of the objects described in the preamble of this agreement. . . . I !'Article IV.—Should either high contracting party conclude a treaty of general arbitration with a third Power, it is agreed that nothing in this.agreement shall entr.il upon such contracting party an obligation to go r to war with the Power with whom such treaty of arbitration is in force. "Article V.—Tho conditions under which armed'QSsis'tance shall be afforded by either Power to the other in the circumstance mentioned in the' present agreement, and the means by which such assistance is to be made available, will be arranged by the naval arid military authorities of the high contracting partips,- who will from time to time consult on 6 atlother fully and freely upon all questions of mutual interest. "Article Vl.—The present agreement shall come into effect immediately after tho date of its signature, and remain in force for ten years from that date. . "In case, neither,of the hish contracting parties should haye notified twelve months before the expiration of the said ten years the intention of terminating it, it shall remain, binding until the expiration of one year from the day oh which either of tho high contracting pTrtics sTinll have denounced it._ But' if, wlysn the dnte fixed for its expiration nrrives, either ally is actually engaged in war, tho alliance shall, ipso facto, continue until peace is concluded. What the Treaty Means. "A careiul perusul ol the terms of the treaty niulies id clear as to . the points upon wiucn it may atlect Japiin at tUe piebent juncture. As far as we are aware neither Ohina nor India is at tho moment in ; any way assailed, so that both cau be cut right out." There remains the consolidation, and maintenance ot. the general peace in tho regions of Eastern Asia, tlie maintenance of the territorial rights of the high cpiitraot-_ ing parties in those regions, and the defence of their special .interests there. It may very easily be" that German warships have brokcil the peace in the Far. fiast, have possibly attacked some British possession there, or have made orislaghts oil British merchant ships. If any of these things have happened, which is most likely, for the German fleet in those Waters is no insignificant one, then it is the duty of Japan to consider what action the treaty requires her to take in the interests of her ally. It would seem that in tho hypothesis laid down Japan must at once come to the aJsilitance of Great' Britain, and from that point the allies arc to conduct tlie war in common, and make peace in mutual agreement. In the meanwhile they are to consult one another freely. Earlier Conflicts, "Since the inauguration of the Meiji era iii Japan in 1867 (when the late Emperor Mutsuhito ascended 'tho throne), which covers the whole moderii history of that country, it has been involved in two great wars; Tho first was tho war with China, in 189-1-95. It is not necessary to enter into tho causes that led to. this conflict except to indicate that Korea, as usual, was at the bottom of the trobule. The importance of this war to-day lies rather in what it led to than in the actual conflict itself. The Japanese had an easy task in overpowering; tho slumbering gialit still wrapped in the swaddlingclothes of mediaevalism. Bows nhd arrows wore no match for Maxims.. Ni sooner was peace declared, and a treaty Signed at Shimonesiki, in which certain Gliineso territory was ceded to Japan as the price of victory, than .a joint Note was presented by Germany, Russia, and

! France to the Government at Tokio, rocomia«iit)ing that the territory ceded to Japan on the mainland of China should not bo permanently occupied, as such a proceeding would be detrimental to the lasting peaco of the Orient. Though the recommendation was couched in terms of nice diplomatic courtesy, the Japanese Government well recognised tliat it was really a command tliat it dare not disobey. Exhausted by the campaign and with .an empty treasury, it could not flaunt the Great Powers. So in a rescript, of the' Emperor, in •which he avowed his unalterable devotion to tho cause of peace, ho "yielded to the dictates of magnanimity, and accepted the advice of tho three Powers. The Japanese nation' was shocked. _ It woll knew and appreciated the motives of France and Russia. The latter Power, with interests in ijhe Far East, wanted no powerful competitor bo near her frontiers, and France was her ally and support. But.Germany stood on quite a different plane. She had posed as a friend of Japan, yet to gain a shadowy title to Russia's goodwill, and so to weaken Franco, she had thrown in her lot against her friend. The Japanese have never forgotten the betrayal. At a later period it became known that the German Emperor was 6b.se.ssed with a dread of .the so-called "yellow peril," and was determined tn prevent Japan moulding the unwieldy mass of Chinese into a huge military machine. The Japanese people are now doubtless hopeful of getting back part of their own, and, at the same time, proving to the haughty German that the yellow, man can be true alike to his treaty obligations, and to the ties of friendship."