The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-27
.Japan's Case

Hikoichi Motoyama foremost japanese publisher The
American public wants to understand if it can Japans
refusal to accept the friendly office of the League OF
Nations and the Kellogg pact signatories to preserve
peace.
In the interest of justice to Japan and of Amer
ican-Japanese friendship, Americans have tried
understand Japan's action. 1t has been hard.
If any one can clarity and justify Japan's action
Mr. Motoyama should be able to do For he speaks
not only a leading japanese citizen free OF the
restraints which obscure official declarations. He
speaks also as tried friend of the United States
Perhaps his frank statement has convinced some o!
our readers that Japan is acting wisely We regret tina
he has not convinced us.
Mr. Motoyama states Japans as follows
Japan in defeating czaris Russia won certain treaty
rights in Manchuria under which she has improved
that territory for natives and foreigners alike; she
now has large economic and financial interests there
the alleged Chinese efforts to destroy these interests
and the alleged Chinese murder of japanese officer
justify Japan's military intervention beyond the
treaty and justify Japan's refusal to permit
effective operation of the worlds peace machinery for
a settlement.
This statement of the historical background and
present facts is naturally japanese selection of the
facts-certainy the Chinese would not accept it as
adequate nor probably would the American experts
But that does not seem to us the important thing
The world is not concerned chiefly about which of the
two nations is to blame. Intelligent persons every
where and particularly the neutral statesmen,
that there is blame both sides.
But whether China to blame Japan is to
blame or both are to blame does not stop the fight or
preserve world peace.
1t is the world peace and the protection of the anti
war treaties that concern the neutral nations. If
Japan and China could have their Manchurian fight
without. touching the rest of the world, outsider
would want to interfere. They can not
Manchuria is the focal point of the interests of
several nations including Russia. Let Manchuria go
up war flames and the fire will spread over the
Far East and possibly Europe The Austrian-Serban
fight could not be isolated in 1914. Maybe the Japa
e-Chnese fight not be isolated if it continues
We feel that Mr.. Motoyama and his countrymen
fail to see this fact-a fact and menace to all ma
tons far more important than dozen local disputes
in Manchuria or elsewhere in the world
So we appeal to Japan to take the world view. We
ask her to be selt-sacrificng but merely prac
teal Neither Japan nor the United States, any
nation can jeopardize the worlds interest without
losing in the end as the old Germany lost
It is no answer for Mr.. Motoyama to say that
America has a Monroe doctrine and that Japan can
have one Also covering Manchuria. The Monroe
docrine-for all its misuse by American mperalists-
has no bearing whatever on disputes between the
United States and Latin American nations.
1t was aimed against foreign aggression in Latin
America for United States protection of Latin Amer
ica and not for United States military intervention
against any Latin American nation.
Just because so many wrongs have been commit
ted by the United States in the of the Monroe
doctrine, we long have urged that it be made joint
declaration by all the American nations for protection
of ALL instead of a one-nation doctrine.
But the fact that Americans sometimes have used
the Monroe Doctrine to cloak their imperialism does
not license the japanese TO repeat our errors Nor
will Japan increase her steadily developing world re-
spect and prestige by such course, .
Even if Mr. Motoyama's argument is true-and
japan has been provoked by China-that not
Justify Japans refusal to permit neutral investiga-
ton and a neutral settlement. If every nation re-
sorted military intervention when one OF It's citizens
was killed abroad or its economic interests injured,
the world would be at war most of the time.
It was precisely to prevent just such military action
andust such threats to world peace that the league
covenant, the Kellogg pact and the other anti-war
treaties were signed by the other nations and Japan
The Kellogg pact can not be ignored by saying it
applies only to war and that Japan now is not at
war" In signing that treaty, Japan agreed with
1.-THE settlement or solution of all disputes con-
acts of whatever nature of whatever origin they
may be- which may arise among them, never shall
be sought except by pacific means"
Japan's military action is not pacific means.
Mr. Motoyama says Japans cause in Manchuria
is lust That is not the issue. The issue is the anti
war treaties If Japan can violate them today the
United States or any other nation can violate them
tomorrow.
The worlds peace machinery would be wrecked
We would be back in 1914-when nations shot first
and talked it afterward, when it was too late
If 1t were the United States whose action, how
ever sincere was destroying the peace treaties and
disarmament today, believe it would be the duty
of patriotic Americans to protest.
We hope our friends, the Japanese can see it that
way now. What will it profit them to win Man
churia if their method untes the world against them?
Wealthy Women
IF II is true as we are now told that women own
oe +,;s ro,ptrv,S wealth ue are closer