we Wasuincron. Conrenexce Arzes"—-By" Yomate Ichihashi, 3028." Standard University. Press, Stanford University, California, Professor Ichihashi is Associate Professor of Japanese History in Stanford University and was seeretary and interpreter to Viscount Kato at the Washington Conference. He therefore deals with the Conference at first hand. He seems to be associated with the California Group of historians on Far Eastern questions which include such really important scholars as_ Professors} Payson J. Treat and Paul Hibert Clyde, "Thin group and their students are making increasingly important contributions to Far Eastern historical literature—not the generalized journalistic effusions, which marked " previous generation of writers such as Thomas F. Millard, who carelessly threw together volume on any timely subject. The work of the California group re-resents genuine research in specific phases of the Far Eastern situation, Professor Ichihashi's book isa resume of the work at the Washing ton Conference from the standpoint of a Japanese liberal, He does not attempt to defend his country; he is a historian, not a propagandist He tells the story accurately and concisely. It is interesting, therefore, to note that he reaches the conclusion that the Washington Conference was of British origin ud initiative and he cites the attitude of particularly the French and Japanese press because of this assumption, There can be no question but that Great Britain was, at that time, faced with two serious problems, one was to cut down the east of moments at a moment when Britain's war debts and demobilization were requiring such, huge financial commitments; the other was the necessity of. placating American objections to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance while at_the same. time avoiding giving offence to. Japan which had been a faithful ally. A conference called by the United States, under American leadership, afforded an excellent opportunity to find a solution for both problems.
Japan, on the other hand, tended to the Conference with suspimn. "Japan had so often been the goat" that any union of the so called white nations to solve Asiatic questions naturally aroused Ja-Panese suspicions as to the real motives, At Shimonoseki, at Ports. ninth, in Siberia, in the Shantung issue,' Japan had not gained. the fall faite of her enterprise-because of this union of the Europeans. It is not surprising, therefore that Japan wondered what it was all about. But Japan entered the Confereffe and assisted in pouring oil on the troubled waters of Far Eastern relations. The separate settlement of the Shantung affair was undoubtedly the most notable result from the Japanese standpoint.
The Four Power Treaty, the amplified successor to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, was the achievement of American diplomacy which mest seriously affected Japan's pre-eminence in the Far Bast, It sab. stituted. American for Japanese lend-exship and therefore offended—Japan's pride. It added the Uni States and France to the A Japanese Alliance and. reind from it its offensive-defensive charatteristies, making itin toothless talkfest document ike the Coven: ant of the League of Nations, Professor Ichihashi's chapter on' this subject is the most important in his
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.