Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16

japanese resentment Of American
participation in the League of Nations
efforts to prevent war between China
and Japan Is distinct shock to the
United States Government. Washing
tons only explanation Of it. is that the
military party is boSsing the show at
Toxic and that the civilian authorities
are powerlesS to resist it. President
Hoover and Secretary Stimson are con-
vinced that IL the influence of Premier
Wakatsuki and Foreign Secretary Shi-
dehara could prevail a far less anti
American wind would be blowing in
Japan. The militarists Of Nippon have
harbored q grudge against this country
ever since the Washington Armament
Conference Of 10 years ago. It was at
the instigation Of the United States
that Japan. on that occasion acqui-
esced reluctantly in the abrogation of
the Anglo-Japanese alliance and in the
evacuation of the Chinese province of
ceased smarting when, a couple Of years
later. Uncle Sam affronted japanese
racial pride by enacting the exclusion
clause in our new immigration law, de-
barring the Mikados people from en-
tering American territory.
X X
On recurring occasions the Japanese
government publicly proclaims that i'm
migration exclusion will rankle until
American sense of fair play" sets mat
tiers right. Thus Japan signals that the
incident is by no means closed one.
II the Toxic army and navy clique could
have its way, the controversy undoubt-
eddy would long since have been taken
out of the hands Of statesmen like
Baron Shidehara and subjected to more
drastic settlement. Presumably the war
party is utilizing the Manchurian mess
as a means Of fomenting anti-Amer1can
sentiment, already nourished by the
aforementioned grievances.
X X X x
It can safely be foreshadowed that
events will march long way before
Japan would seriously force the issue
to the point Of a conflict with the
United States. The reason why the
Japanese would think twice, and thrice,
and then some, before going to war with
us is encompaSsed in one word. That
word is silk. Expectations OF raw silk
are the Island Empires economic life
blood. Once the traffic in silk were cut
off. Japan would be face to face with
industrial and financial ruin. Over
whelmingly the lions share OF her SILK
is sold to America. Already in the
throes of q business depression, which
was paralyzing Japanese commerce and
! trade long before the slump hit these
ATTITUDES, the Toxic government would
not lightly let things drift into an
armed clash with the United States.
THE average WeSterner. who has lived
among the Japanese in latter-day times
will tell you that they are far more fear
full of an attack on Japan by America
than of any aggression against us by
them.
Secretary Stimson's diplomatic serv-
ice seems to be fated to have American
Ambassadors away from their jobs when
they're needed on them the most. 1t
was lust about q year ago that our
envoy in Brazil was absent on leave
from Rio de Janeiro when revolution
swept the country. During the 1880
Epidemic of revolutions in Latin Amer
lea one or two of our other diplomatic
representatives were missing from their
posts. Now, in the midst Oh the crisis
in our relations with Japan, w. cam
eron Forbes, American Ambassador to
TOXIC. finds himself in the United
states on a vacation. Nelson T. john
son our accomplished Minister to
China. was in the, midst of his
honeymoon in Peiping when the
State Department ordered him to
Marking this week. Ambassador De-
buchi intended to be on the racine,
en- route to a visit in japan this Fall,
but the Japanese government directed
| him to cancel his passage and remain
| in Washington until the Manchurian
mess is out of the way. The State
| DEPARTMENT called Charles r. Crane,
one-time American Minister to China,
into conference this week. Mr.. Crane
| has not been in the Far East recently,
but his knowledge Of conditions out
there is thorough and up 70 date.
x X X
In New York the weird rumor is in
circulation that President Hoover will
soon make an official visit to Europe
for the purpose Of closer collaboration