p^!*. FEOtit International Conciliation PRO PATH I A PER ORB IS CONCORDIAM Published Monthly by the Amedcan Branch Association for International Conciliation THE POLICY -OF THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN IN THE FAR EAST Text of Notes Exchanged on November 30. 1 908 NOVEMBER, 1908, NO. 12 American Branch of the Association for International Conciliation Sub-station 84 (501 West 1 16th Street) New York City The particular objects of the American Association for International Conciliation are, to record, preserve and disseminate the history of organized efforts for promoting internation- al peace and relations of comity and good fellowship between nations, to print and cir- culate documents and otherwise to aid indi- vidual citizens, the newspaper press, and organizations of various kinds to obtain ac- curate information and just views upon these subjects; and to promote in all practicable ways mutual understanding and good feeling between the American people and those of other nations. INTRODUCTION The important Notes exchanged between the United States and Japan on November 30, 1908, declaring the policy of the two nations in regard to the Far East, is a political event of more than usual significance. For a gen- eration past the eyes of statesmen and diplo- matists have been turned to the Far East, and there have been many times when dangerous complications of an international character seemed likely to ensue from the conflicting wishes and ambitions of the various nations to secure each for itself political or commercial advantage in that part of the world. The geographical relation of the United States and Japan to the Pacific Ocean, considered as a means of communication between men and nations and as a highway of commerce, ren- dered it more than fitting that these two great civilized peoples should be in agreement as to the political and commercial policies to be 3 pursued during the years that now stretch out before us. It w^as no less important that agreement as to these policies should be publicly signified and recorded. These admirable Notes by their precision, their freedom from ambiguity and their cordial expressions of confidence and good will, make it clear that so far as the influence of the United States and Japan can prevail, the progress of civilization in the Far East and in the development of the commercial possibili- ties of the Pacific Ocean and the countries tributary thereto, will not be impeded or re- tarded by wars and rumors of wars, or by increasine manifestations of national boast- fulness, suspicion and greed, but that it will progress steadily forward along the lines of orderly and peaceful competition and co- operation. NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER 4 NOTES EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN NOVEMBER 30. 1908, DECLARING THEIR POLICY IN THE FAR EAST. IMPERIAL JAPANESE EMBASSY WASHINGTON Novp:mber 30, 1908. Sir : The exchange of views between ns, which has taken place at the several interviews which I have recently had the honor of holding with you, has shown that Japan and the United States holding important outlying insular pos- sessions in the region of the Pacific Ocean, the Governments of the two countries are ani- mated by a common aim, policy, and intention in that region. Believing that a frank avowal of that aim, policy, and intention would not only tend to strengthen the relations of friendship and 5 good neighborhood, which have immemorially existed between Japan and the United States, but would materially contribute to the preser- vation of the general peace, the Imperial Government have authorized me to present to you an outline of their understanding of that common aim, policy, and intention : 1. It is the wish of the two Governments to encourage the free and peaceful develop- ment of their commerce on the Pacific Ocean. 2. The policy of both Governments, un- influenced by any aggressive tendencies, is directed to the maintenance of the existing status quo in the region above mentioned and to the defense of the principle of equal op- portunity for commerce and industry in China. 3. They are accordingly firmly resolved reciprocally to respect the territorial posses- sions belonging to each other in said region. 4. They are also determined to preserve the common interest of all powers in China by supporting by all pacific means at their dis- posal the independence and integrity of China 6 and the principle of equal opportunity for commerce and industry of all nations in that Empire. 5. Should any event occur threatening the status quo as above described or the principle of equal opportunity as above defined, it re- mains for the two Governments to communi- cate with each other in order to arrive at an understanding as to what measures they may consider it useful to take. If the foregoing outline accords with the view of the Government of the United States, I shall be gratified to receive your confirma- tion. I take this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest con- sideration. K. Takahira Honorable Elihu Root Secretary of State 7 Department of State Was/iington, November jo, igo8. Excellency : I have the honor to acknowledgre the receipt of your note of to-day setting forth the result of the exchange of views between us in our recent interviews defining the under- standing of the two Governments in regard to their policy in the region of the Pacific Ocean. It is a pleasure to inform you that this ex- pression of mutual understanding is welcome to the Government of the United States as appropriate to the happy relations of the two countries and as the occasion for a concise mutual affirmation of that accordant policy re- specting the Far East which the two Govern- ments have so frequently declared in the past. I am happy to be able to confirm to Your Excellency, on behalf of the United States, the declaration of the two Governments em- bodied in the following words : 8 1. It is the wish of the two Governments to encourage the free and peaceful develop- ment of their commerce on the Pacific Ocean. 2. The policy of both Governments, un- influenced by any aggressive tendencies, is directed to the maintenance of the existing status quo in the region above mentioned, and to the defense of the principle of equal oppor- tunity for commerce and industry in China. 3. They are accordingly firm!)' resolved reciprocally to respect the territorial posses- sions belonging to each other in said region. 4. They are also determined to preserve the common interests of all powers in China by supporting by all pacific means at their dis- posal the independence and integrity of China and the principle of equal opportunity for commerce and industry of all nations in that Empire. 5. Should any event occur threatening the status quo as above described or the principle of equal opportunity as above de- fined, it remains for the two Governments to 9 communicate with each other in order to arrive at an understanding as to what measures they may consider it useful to take. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurance of my highest consideration. Eli HU Root His Excellency Baron Kogoro Takahira Japanese Ambassador lo Up to the limit of the editions printed, copies of the following documents, published by the Association, will be sent post-paid upon application. 1. Program of the Association, by Baron d’Estournelles de Constant. April, 1907. 2. Results of the National Arbitration and Peace Congress, by Andrew Carnegie. April, 1907. 3. A League of Peace, by Andrew Carnegie. November, 1907. 4. The Results of the Second Hague Conference, by Baron d’Estournelles de Constant and Hon. David Jayne Hill. January, 1908. 5. The Work of the Second Hague Conference, by James Brown Scott. January, 1908. 6. Possibilities of Intellectual Co-operation Between North and South America, by L. S. Rowe. April, 1908. 7. America and Japan, by George Trumbull Ladd. June, 1908. 8. The Sanction of International Law, by Elihu Root. July, 1908. 9. The United States and France, by Barrett Wendell. August, 1908. 10. The Approach of the Two Americas, by Joaquim Nabuco. September, 1908. 11. The United States and Canada, by J. S. Willison. October, 1908. 12. The Policy of the United States and Japan in the Far East. Association for International Conciliation. American Branch, Sub-station 84, New York. Executive Committee of the American Branch Nicholas Murray Butler Richard Bartholdt Lyman Abbott James Speyer Robert A. Franks Richard Watson Gilder Stephen Henry Olin Seth Low Andrew D. White COUNCIL OF DIRECTION FOR THE AMERICAN BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL CONCILIATION Lyman Abbott, New York. Charles Francis Adams, Boston. Edwin A. Alderman, Charlottesville, Va. Charles H. Ames, Boston, Mass. Richard Bartholdt, M. C,, St. Louis, Mo. Clifton R. Breckenridge, Fort Smith, Arkansas. William J. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb. T. E. Burton, M. C., Cleveland, Ohio. Nicholas Murray Butler, New York. Andrew Carnegie, New York. Edward Cary, New York. Joseph H. Choate, New York. Richard H. Dana, Boston, Mass. Arthur L. Dasher, Macon. Ga. Horace E. Deming, New York. Charles W. Eliot, Cambridge, Mass. John W. Foster, Washington, D. C. Richard Watson Gilder, New York. John Arthur Greene, New York. James M. Greenwood, Kansas City, Mo. Franklin H. Head, Chicago, III. William J. Holland, Pittsburgh, Pa. Hamilton Holt, NewTork. James L. Houghtaling, Chicago, III. David Starr Jordan, Stanford University, Cal. Edmond Kelly, New York. Adolph Lewisohn, New York. Seth Low, New York. Clarence H. Mackay, New York. W. A. Mahonv, Columbus, Ohio. Brander Matthews, New York. W. W. Morrow, San Francisco, Cal. George B. McClellan, Mayor of New York. Levi P. Morton, New York. Silas McBee, New York. Simon Newcomb, Washington, D. C. Stephen H. Ulin, New York. A. V. V. Raymond, Buffalo, N. Y. Ira Remsen, Baltimore, Md. James Ford Rhodes, Boston, Mass. Howard J. Rogers, Albany, N. Y. Elihu Root, Washington, D. C. J. G. Schurman, Ithaca, N. Y. Isaac N. Seligman, New York. F. J. V. Skiff, Chicago, III. William M. Sloane, New York. Albert K. Smiley, Lake Mohonk, N. Y. James Speyer, New York. Oscar S. Straus, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, San Francisco, Cal. George W. Taylor, M. C., Demopolis, Ala. O. H. Tittman, Washington, D. C. W. H. Tolman, New York. Benjamin Tkueblood, Boston, Mass. Edward Tuck, Paris, France. William D. Wheelwright, Portland, Ore. Andrew D. White, Ithaca, N. Y. IRVING PRESS, NEW YORK