At any other time the representatives of the United States might have adopted different tactics. But here were involved more issues than one; more governments than two; more nations than half a dozen.
And there seemed to be a prevailing feeling in the Peace Conference that, aside from the rather roughly insistent way in which she was going about it, Japan was within her rights in demanding to see and to know exactly what she was subscribing or binding herself to, especially since the President of the United States had himself, during the war, laid down the principle of "open covenants, openly arrived at."
Fred read enough of the article to give him an intelligent idea of the whole delicate situation, and then hurried off to the hut and his three waiting friends.
They received the news with mingled feelings. There was the one of natural resentment at any delegation or government using pressure approaching force in dealing with the United States. There was that of speculation as to how it would end, and when. There was the uppermost question of all: What effect would this suddenly developed and new international situation have upon the proposed Transatlantic flights?
Big Jack strolled over again to the window to gaze out at the muddied atmosphere of Halifax. From every viewpoint and everywhere it seemed to be a gloomy outlook. Men fresh from war are wearied of it and have no desire for a new outbreak of that international pestilence. The glamor of it has gone; while they will of course fight if need be, they prefer the arts and the comforts of peace. They have learned to appreciate them a great deal more than they ever did before. Certainly no one in this group wanted to see any renewal of blood-spilling conflict.
"Well," said Big Jack finally, turning from the window and addressing the other three who had been debating the problem among themselves, "the thing resolves itself into this: apparently the American delegation has yielded to the pressure of unanimous opinion, or nearly unanimous opinion, in the Conference. But so far as I can grasp from reading this latest article, Japan is attempting to demand to see something within a period almost impossible for it to be produced at the Peace Conference to be seen. That's the ugly part of it all. It looks like any pretext for balking—if not worse."
"What I can't understand," said Don, "is the reason for her insistence and hurry."
"If we were familiar with the tricks and schemes of international dealings and diplomacy, perhaps all that might be clear," Andy answered. "We don't know, of course, what Japan has in mind, or what her envoys may have been led to believe."
"True," said Jack, "and after all, I guess that's a matter which safely can be left with the American delegation, headed by our President. But it does look like a ticklish situation."
"The head-lines here seem to state it," Fred added. "They're brief but to the point: 'Japan Demands Immediate Presentation of Important Treaties.'"