the moral, material, naval and military support of the British Empire. There could be no more solid foundatione for International friendship than the knowledge in both nations that we stood or fell together. It is no less tru to-day. Equally important from our point of view as an reconstruction of Great Britain is the revival of France who has proved herself to be a very corner-stone of Europea civilization. The statesmen of both countries are expecte by both peoples to realize what is obvious to the man i in the street in Paris and in London. We simply canno afford to allow them to resume the old-time bickering which would be a crime at this juncture. All the evidence goes to show that the responsible statesmen of France e.g. M. Clemenceau, ex-President Poincaré, President Mille rand and the new Prime Minister, M. Leygues, adhere as firmly to the Entente Cordiale as any of their predecessors and will make every effort to maintain it. Unhappily it must be admitted the attitude of the other party is more obscure, and knowledgeable men in touch with the situation are concerned at Mr. Lloyd George's fitful but continuous approach towards his pre-war standpoint, when he was the British Minister most relied upon by the Germans to break up the Entente, which is the perennial objective of Teutonic diplomacy and as near the heart of " the Imperial Republic of Germany" as it was to the ineffable Kaiser Some Coalition Ministers are as sound as a bell on this, as on other subjects. But will they assert themselves before it is too late? That is what many persons are asking.

Japanese Alliance

AMONG the most interesting and important questions coming up for decision in the near future is the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which would other The Anglo- wise lapse next year. We trust that the peoples and governments of the British Empire may take a prescient and tenacious decision. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance has proved itself one of the wisest measures ever adopted by British statesmanship. We owe its inception and execution to the old unregenerate Foreign Office, before wiseacres from Washington and

Kinder

7 supportenists from elsewhere had begun "making the world solid fue for Democracy" by coquetting with the Bolshevist nowledge id propitiating the Boche. Lord Lansdowne's reputation t is as necessarily suffered something of an eclipse since he. tof vir peared to lose heart during the Great War, but intelligent vival dhglishmen will ever remain grateful for this invaluable one of ace of constructive diplomacy, which provided Great ies are eitain with a powerful and honourable Ally in the days to the her perilous isolation and opened a new chapter in British simplylicy. So far from complicating our relations with Western time bowers, as was predicted by pessimists at the time, the the aglo-Japanese Alliance directly paved the way to that en of lighty and formidable association which ultimately shattered residene Mailed Fist and saved civilization from Kultur." es, adpan stood in urgent need of allies when the Marquis Ito predas rebuffed in St. Petersburg during the South African Unar. Allies she must have, in order that she might progress ther security. But for Lord Lansdowne's wisdom and courage ch grasping the opportunity that presented itself so provie's fentially, we should have witnessed the evolution of some pointmbination full of menace to everything for which the the english-speaking peoples stand. This is the answer to al dort-sighted Colonials, as to American critics of an alliance hehereby Great Britain and Japan have rendered conspicuous ble Ervices to mankind by uniting forces which, if separatedon Germany planned and plotted-would not only have res aperilled this country, but likewise the very communities at are most suspicious of our Far Eastern Ally, viz. alifornia and Australia.

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E make no appeal on this question to any body of foreigners, last of all to Americans, with whom it has become a point of honour to suspect any and every suggestion emanating from England. But we do earnestly invite all thinking Australians to xercise their influence in favour of continuing a policy obviously advantageous to the High Contracting Parties, nd of which they were manifest beneficiaries throughout The Great War. Australians should ask themselves what

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would be the position to-day had Great Britain and Jap drifted into opposite and hostile camps-they should t and visualize a to-morrow without the Alliance, and inqu whether the Pacific would be more comfortable with Lond and Tokio continually bickering, as they inevitably wo because necessity demands that Japan should acquire European Ally and there would be no lack of suitors, e among those who have been most vociferous in denouncin "Britain's treason to the White Man." The question answered by being asked. There should be no doubt provided Japan be willing-as to the renewal of the Allianc which will be renewed, provided its friends wake up betin and no longer leave the field to its enemies, who are bo insistent and persistent. Roughly speaking, the enemies the Anglo-Japanese Alliance consist of the following group

1. All the wrongheads of all parties, who hate Japan simply because is our Ally, just as they love the Bolshevik and the Boche for hating us.

2. Certain City interests, controlled or manipulated by Internation Finance, which is jealous of Japan's exploitation of China. These reinforced by Anglo-Chinese commercial interests, legitimately apprehens as to the future of British trade in China in the face of Japanese competition 3. Those Treaty Port" Britons in the Far East who have never reconciled themselves to treating Japan as a great and civilized Power a are annoyed by various Japanese practices, some of which are admitted unattractive.

4. "Anglo-Saxon " gushers, who would give Washington a visa over Bri foreign policy in return for benefits that shall in due time be revealed.

Let us not make the mistake of underrating the fore working against the Alliance. The friends of German throughout the world will mobilize to prevent its renewa convinced as they are that its rupture would be speedi followed by the gravitation of Japan towards the Fatherla and the ultimate evolution of a Triple Alliance betwe Berlin, Petrograd and Tokio to retrieve the recent losses Germany and Russia. No genuine lover of peace co bu regard such a prospect otherwise than with dismay, as we know, professional Pacifists care little for peac but only for Pacifist theories, and as the Japanese Allian is as odious to them as is the Entente Cordiale, they me to wreck it, if they can, in the name of the League Nations.

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Britain shall get little or no help from South Africa on this -they stal matter, because the head of the Union Government-General Smuts-is a Pacifist enragé, obsessed by the League of Nations, which inevita one of the levers to be employed against the Angloshould apanese Alliance. But we are entitled to the assistance of su Australia and Canada in saving the situation. Both us inve an equal stake in a policy which fortifies peace during The qe coming critical years. That Canadians appreciate the

5,

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is clear from the admirable statement of Mr. Lemieux

of the the Morning Post correspondent in Montreal (see Morning vake ost, October 7th). Mr. Lemieux knows what he is talking , who out, because he represented the Laurier Government in the 07, when he went as Special Envoy to Japan to negotiate low settlement of the controversy caused by the restrictive gislation of British Columbia. The ex-Minister paid a arm tribute to the fine qualities of the Japanese, whom he by Lescribed as a people from whom we have much to learn," Chining very proficient in commerce" and possessing an my "second to none" and a navy which is

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66

one of the best in the world." Their education was on a very high vel, and as regards painting, pottery and fancy work, e are far behind them." Mr. Lemieux had effected an greement with the Japanese Foreign Minister, Viscount ayashi, whereby Japan undertook to restrict the number passports and thus herself limited emigration to Canada. I am glad to say that they have lived up to the letter and pirit of that agreement. We have had no trouble whatbeer." On "the broader question of the Anglo-Japanese Flliance" Mr. Lemieux spoke wisely and well. We sinrely hope that his views may be assimilated by the ttawa Government and duly transmitted to Downing eatreet, where they will make a valuable reinforcement to le party of common sense against any cranks who may be f the war-path. Canadian prestige is such that off her wn bat the Dominion could settle the question, provided ominion Ministers put their backs into it and do not low themselves to be hocused, as too frequently happens, y those imaginary "Imperial considerations" with which

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play is made by insular politicians. Mr. Lemieux sta the truly Imperial point of view when he told the Mon Post correspondent:

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I consider that for the peace of the world, for the prestige of Britain I might say for the sake of France, too, the Alliance should be adhere Canada is vitally interested in it. All transit between Europe and the East will eventually pass through Canada, because we have now, Rupert, the shortest route to the Orient. From the point of view of trade a great consideration; but I place the question on a higher plane-tha civilization itself. We should maintain the most cordial relations with t extremely intelligent and highly educated people. The reverence which Japanese have for monarchical institutions constitutes a bulwark and guar against Bolshevism. From the Canadian point of view, my opinica that the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance is more than desirable. is necessary.

Amateur
Diplomacy

LORD HARDINGE's appointment as British Ambassador Paris (on which we commented in the last issue of t National Review) is widely approved, ap from personal reasons, because he is a diplom by profession. It is easy to jibe at the Fores Office and to hold its permanent personnel responsible the crimes and blunders that are committed in its name the politicians, who play ducks and drakes with our Fores Policy and then encourage their journalistic friends to deb the Department with follies upon which, as often as not, Foreign Office official had been so much as consulted. have now had some years of Secret Amateur Diplomac Its fruits stare us in the face. The British Foreign Off had little more say in framing the Treaty of Versail than the National Review. Its officials regard it as does rest of the world, namely, as a tragic fiasco. If this "democratic diplomacy," if this be " open covenants open arrived at," let us have something different: "Give something closed" is the prayer of all men of sense. O Amateur Diplomats have had their fling, and the world c now estimate their capacity. The Hardinges, the Crowe the Tyrrells, the Mallets, the Buchanans, the Rodds a other despised experts " have long been relegated to back seat, with the results confronting us from China Peru. The Foreign Office, thanks to the supineness of M Balfour and Lord. Curzon, has become a negligible quantit