Evening star., 1932-09-18

cause war scare in a country like
japan. but 1t takes a good deal Of in
| telligent maneuvering to mend the Ills
caused by a propaganda like the one
carried on in Japan at the present
moment.
It is being recalled in certain mill
tary circles in Washington that few
months before the World War there
was a similar spy scare in Germany,
that 1t was worth by the usually con-
servative German newspapers.
1t is recalled that in March, 1914,
the German naval authorities arrested
| five English citizens who had taken
photographs of the German naval base
at Heligola.ld They were released only
after the British embassy had taken
the matter seriously in hand and the
pictures had proved to be as inoffensive
as the ones taken by the orders of the
National City Bank in Yokohama. A
few weeks later q Russian colonel in
one of the guard regiments was arrested
for having taken some pictures OF the
Spandau artillery proving grounds ana
! was sentenced by the Supreme Court
at Leipzig to three years confinement
in fortress.
Hamper Diplomats Task.
These spy scares are never helpful
and have tendency to render the rela-
tions between two countries difficult.
especially when, through the actions OF
the diplomats, one country feels that
the other opposes her plans or ambi-
tions. And this Is at present the situa-
ton between the japanese Empire and
the United States.
On account of the invasion Of Man
churia by the japanese Army, the
American Government has felt that
Japan has broken not only the Kellogg
pact, but also both treaties signed In
Washington in 1922-the nine-power
and the four-power pact. The frst one
is a pact whereby all the nine sigma
tories. including Japan and the United
States, agree to respect the political
and territorial integrity Of China. The
history of that treaty is this: The rela-
tions between these two Pacific powers
had grown dangerously strained in the
period between 19191922: the posi-
bility of a conflict was SO great that
it was thought necessary to get to-
gether France, Great Britain, Japan,
America, Italy. China, Portugal, Hol-
land and Belgium to settle once for
all the question of China's integrity and
thus remove the principal reason for
conflict between the United States
and Japan.
Japan agreed with the other interest
ed powers to respect China'S integrity.
As a result of that agreement which
was embodied in the nine-power pact.
a second agreement was reached under
the name of the four-power pact. The
United States, Great Britain. Japan
and China agreed to maintain status
quo regarding their Pacific possessions.
At the same time the United States
agreed not to proceed with the fortif1-
cation of her possession in the west
ern Pacific. This was done to remove
Japan's fear Of possible aggression.
Believed Peril Removed.
The signature of these two pacts, fol-
lowed six years later by the signature
of the Kellogg pact and by the London
naval agreement of 1890, which dis
posed of the Japanese-British-A -Ameri-
can naval rivalry, were considered by
the American Government as SUI
ficient guarantee that there would be
no recrudescence of the Japanese
American rivalry in the Pacific. Amer
lea has no territorial ambitions any
where in the world, and Japan knows
this; all that America wants Is fair
play for all and an open door for her
trade in the Far East.
The japanese occupation of Man
churia revived the Japanese American
controversy The American Govern
ment, which accepted at first the jap
anese plea that the military operations
in Manchuria were of a purely tenn
porary character and that Japan had
no intention of keeping her troops in
those parts of China where her zone of
that the japanese military intended to
do more than the Japanese foreign Of
flee admitted.
When the State Department realized
that Japan had actually begun the oc-
cupation of parts of China, thus break
ing all the treaties she had signed. Sec
retary Henry L. Stimson sent note on
January 7, 1882, to the japanese gov
eminent drawing attention to the heavy
responsibilities it was undertaking by
breaking those pacts. When Secretary
Stimson received the somewhat sar-
castle answer of the Japanese govern
ment, after consulting President Hoo
YER, he addressed a letter to Senator
Borah, the chairman of the Senate'S
Committee on Foreign Relations. what
was in fact another note to Japan. In
that letter Mr.. Stimson expressed the
point of view that If Japan continued to
ignore the treaties she had voluntarily
entered into with the United States and
she has a free hand and could resume
the work Of fOrtlfylng her Eastern Pa
cific possessions and possibly ignore the
naval ratio for battleshipS as estab-
lished between this country and Japan
in 1882.
League Takes Hand.
The whole matter of the Sino-Jap
anese dispute. however. was brought
before the League of Nations, at China'S
request, because Japan was considered
to have violated the Kellogg BRAND
peace pact The League of Nations de-
cided to investigate the claims of both
belligerents-China and Japan-on the
ground by sending commission under
the Craftsmanship Of a British citizen
Lord Lytton, and to which an Amer
attached.
The commission, after six months Of
work. drafted a report, which was re-
ceived at Geneva three days ago. That
report will presumably be taken under
consideration some time between Sep
tember 26 and December IS.
In the meantime. however, in order
to forestan any adverse decision of the
League, Japan haStened TO recognize
the new state of Manchukuo, which she
had organized soon after she completed
the occupation of Manchuria. This
recognition, before the League of Ma
tions has rendered its decision in the
Manchurian dispute, Is considered in
many quarters as a deflnace of the
League and of the American Govern
ment.
The situation Is regarded in certain
circles as tense and in diplomatic quar-
ters here, as well as in Europe, every
body wonders what America is going
to do.
United States Move Unlikely.
It is most unlikely that the American
Government should make any move at
tho y,recent f,noment The whole matter