WOULD PEACE

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 19

WOULD PEACE

OUTLOOK GROWING BRIGHTER. LONDON, Juiy o. Colonel Harvey, the United States Ambassador, speaking at the Independence Day celebrations in London, saicl that if George 111 had put forth a proclamation approximating in e’oquent sincerity and appealing force to George V’s endeavour to reconcile Ireland, -there would have been no bell-ringing in Philadelphia 145 years ago. Already a better understanding between Great Britain and the United States had made the turbulent Atlantic a millpond by eliminating the danger of naval warfare. There was good ground to hope, also, that whatever apprehensions existed of perilous possibilities in the Pacific might be dispelled sooner than was commonly anticipated. If this splendid consummation were attained, disarmament would follow normallv and inevitably. JAPAN’S POLICY. TOKIO, July b. A campaign for the reduction of armaments and the withdrawal from Siberia, received a cold douche from the new Minister of War (General Yamanashi). In an interview he maintained that Japan could not reduce her army, which was necessary for national defence, nor could she increase it owing to her financial position, while withdrawal from Siberia would precipitate widespread anarchy and. give the Soviets a, free hand for propaganda work throughout the Ea.-t. The Minister deprecated deference being shown the American and English opinion, and particularly emphasised the point that Japan was pursuing her own path. He considered that Italy's withdrawal from the Triple Alliance illustrated the instability of such agreements. July 5. The Foreign Office has issued a statement to the effect that by no stretch of imagination can it honestly be said that the Anglo-. Japanese Alliance was desired or even remotely intended to be used as an instrument of hostility or even defence against America. AMERICAN OPINION FAVOURABLE. TOKIO, July 9. An ex-Minister of Justice is returning from a 10,000-mile trip, in which he spoke on behalf of disarmament. He stated that if the American Government proposes an international conference to discuss restrictions or disarmament it will surely be the beginning-, of the solution of all diplomatic questions between Japan and the United States. He added that his audiences overwhelmingly favoured disarmament.