Evening star., 1927-03-28
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Great Britain and Japan have vast
ly more extensive commercial and
financial interests in China than we
have. It was recently stated In Lon
don that British investments there to-
tai a round billion dollars in value.
Japan's stake is thought to be con-
siderably heavier than that. Uncle
Sans business-trade and invest
ments-while extensive, does not be-
gin to measure up to such figures.
During 1925 the United States exported
$110,205 900 worth Of goods to China,
but that volume isn't vital portion Of
our whole foreign commerce. For the
British and the Japanese the Chinese
market Is of immeasurably greater
Importance. If 1t were entirely cut
off, there would be breadlines in Man.
chester, Bradford, Leeds and Birming-
ham and In Kobe, Toxic and Osaka.
Great American industrial communi-
ties in America would not be nearly
SO hard hit-indeed, they would not
be seriously affected at all.
II ~ y
The why and wherefore of the elab-
crate defensive measures President
Coolidge has ordered to be taken in
China concern the future rather than
| the present. The United States wants
| the open door in China-which means
| trade equality for all nations-kept
ajar. It has been the keystone of our
Chinese policy ever since John Hay
| initiated 1t more than a quarter OF a
century ago. Mr.. Coolidge Is showing
the United States teeth in China for
another reason. He wants the new
| Nationalist autocrats to understand
| that America, with all of our sincere
| sympathy for Chinese aspirations, Is
| conscious of a sense of race solidarity.
| The President Is plainly ready to
pledge the full influence Of this coun-
| try in the direction of obtaining a
| square deal for white nations in case
+, the "China for the Chinese" cause
should develop into q frenzied cru
sade against all non-Asiatic powers.
It's been the popular thing at Wash
| ington to credit Calvin Coolidge with
peace-at-any-price sentiments in the
| realm Of foreign complications. The
| hammer-and-tongs fashion in which
the White House has gone to grips
with the Chinese crisis reveals the
| President in distinctly different MOOD.
n X X
They're laughing merrily up at the
House immigration committee offices
over an exclusion order just Issued at
the Department of Labor. The victim
bears the distinguished name of Albert
johnson, a young SWede VINO mas pee1i
living in Canada and trying TO take
out American citizenship. He Is neither
kith nor kin Of the veteran chairman
of Immigration. Representative Albert
Johnson, Republican, of Washington,
| but O. Government official who was
| once in Johnson's Office on the hill
| Arthur T.. Cook-happenS to be the
one who passed on the other Johnson 8
exclusion case. The Scandinavian IN
| question had filed a declaration or IN
| tention to become a citizen, but with
drew his application when he found
out that he might be liable for Ameri-
can military service. The Cook who
looked after Johnson's goose recently
became administrative assistant to
lanes +. Davis, Secretary of Labor.
He used to be assistant clerk of the
House immigration committee.
| X X *
One Of the most venerable veterans
of the United States Army, Maj. Gen.
Adolphus Washington Greedy, retired,
| celebrated on March 27. in splendid
yigor. his saith birthday, at Washing
ton Greedy became chief signal Off
Ger of the United States Army in 1887,
six years after his famous expedition
to the Polar Sea, when his gallant
marty of rs reached farther north than
any previous record. He has been on
the retired list since 1908. It's become
a sort of tradition in the Army that
chief signal officers are blessed with
Unusual longevity. Greedy Is one of
-four still.living officers who've
held that rank. The others are Brig.
Gen. James Allen, who served from
1906 to 1918; Maj. Gen. George p.
Scriven, on duty from 1913 to 1917.
and Maj. Gen. George o. Squier, &C.
Is. o." from 1917 to 1928.
| X \
More than one disappointment
awaits the Spring and Easter tourist
droves which customarily descend
upon Washington at this season. Not
Soniy has Mi. Coolidge been ordered by