as already virtually Emperor it
lay within his power to settle the whole business and to secure his
position at one blow. In any case the _precis_ begins with these
illuminating sentences:

... Furthermore, the Chinese revolutionists are in close touch and
have intimate relations with numerous irresponsible Japanese, some
of whom have great influence and whose policy is for strong
measures. Our Government has not been influenced by this policy, but
if your Government does not quickly agree to these stipulations, it
will be impossible to prevent some of our irresponsible people from
inciting the Chinese revolutionists to create trouble in China.

The majority of the Japanese people are also opposed to President
Yuan and Yuan's Government. They all declare that the President
entertains anti-Japanese feeling and adopts the policy of
"befriending the Far" (Europe and America) and "antagonizing the
Near" (Japan). Japanese public opinion is therefore exceedingly
hostile.

Our Government has all along from first to last exerted its best
efforts to help the Chinese Government, and if the Chinese
Government will speedily agree to these stipulations it will have
thus manifested its friendship for Japan.

The Japanese people will then be able to say that the President
never entertained anti-Japanese feelings, or adopted the policy of
"befriending the Far and antagonizing the Near." Will not this then
be indeed a bona fide proof of our friendly relations?

The Japanese Government also will then be inclined to render
assistance to President Yuan's Government whenever it is
necessary....

We are admittedly living in a remarkable age which is making waste paper
of our dearest principles. But in all the welter which the world war has
made it would be difficult to find anything more extraordinary than
these few paragraphs. Japan, through her official representative, boldly
tears down the veil hiding her ambitions, and using the undoubted menace
which Chinese revolutionary activities then held for the Peking
Government, declares in so many words that unless President Yuan
Shih-kai bows his head to the dictation of Tokio, the duel which began
in Seoul twenty-five years ago would be openly resumed.

Immediately following the "conversation" is the principal document in
the dossier. This is nothing less than an exhaustive Memorandum, divid