Evening star., 1932-01-29
The Far Eastern Crisis.

With the same swift procedure that
rarked It's course IN NJ nChuria. when
It seized upon a comparatively slight
incident near Mukden as cause Of an
aggressive campaign against the Chi
nesc sovereignty in the three Eastern
provinces, Japan has moved at Shang-
hai in a series of actions that have
outStripped the exchange Of demands
and concessions. Evidently it is the
purpose of the Toxic government to
force China into agreements quite be-
yond the original requirements respect
ing the boycott. Seizure Of territory,
with bombing and as yet uncounted
Staying followed the climax Of WedneS
day, when apparently all the demands
Of Japan had been met. Shanghai is
now in a state of war. The govern
ment at Nanking has become demoral-
tied
In this grave situation the position
of the United States becomes a mat
ter Of vital interest. It is clearly in
dicated that this Government will enter
a strong protest against the violation of
Chinese sovereignty. Great Britain has
announced its purpose to cooperate
with the United States, though without
definition of the lengths to which that
power will go. American troops are
stationed in the International Settle
ment, as are British forces They are
there for the maintenance Of order
Will they be augmented to war
strength? This cannot be done short
OF positive entry Of this country into
the embroglio.
There is no public feeling in America
for participation in the troubles in the
Far East, beyond the point of diplo-
matte protest. The interests of the
United States in that area are entirely
commercial. If Jepans assurances of
protection to those interests, which
have been given, are not to be trusted,
decision must be made respecting the
responsibility of the Government of this
country in the premises. The decision
must not be hastily reached, certainly
not without full consideration of the
responsibility that yill be entailed by
8 conclusion to participate in force.
Is the Monroe Doctrine involved ir
this Far Eastern situation? 1t is diff
or degree affected by the effort OF
Japan to secure guarantees Of trade
rights from China, assuming that such
IS the single purpose Of this present
the United States in the maintenance
of the International Settlement at
Shanghai is in no sense akin to the
maintenance by this Government OF
the right of protection of the States Of
South and Central America against
foreign aggression.
In this crisis the League of Nations
As evidently not effective, even as 1t
failed to be effective in the Manchurian
situation. Japan is proceeding with its
program regardless Of that body of in
ternational sentiment. which is the ut
most that the League can be styled in
view OF its inability to compel orderly
procedure and to preserve the peace.
Japan's assurances that all American
rights will be protected and preserved
may not be rejected without giving af-
front to the government at Toxic. Are
Great Britain and the United States,
alone Of the powers signatory to the
treaties for the remuneration of war, to
assume the burden Of enforcement?
That question is paramount in this
present gravely critical situation. Again
It is TO be stressed that American pub
lie opinion will not justify the assump-
tion Of the role Of intervener in force,
either Jointly with Great Britain or
alone to compel-if compulsion should
be possible-Japan to respect the for
mula Of procedure laid down in those
treaties, TO which it has subscribed.
The United States has been stead
fastly the friend Of China in her
troubles during a long period OF years.
1t is the advocate of the "opendoor"
policy in that land. 1t is today the
friend Of China, but it cannot be
brought into this present quarrel, how
ever the weight Of justice may rest in
the scales, without doing infinitely more
harm to its own welfare than good to
the unfortunate land that is now beset
by a militant neighbor, evidently bent
upon taking advantage of China's weak
ness to impose its will upon it.