The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-02-24
U. S. Firm Behind
Open Door Policy


"Ss~AAS0sA1y OWN 4AuA 0E4lAlO VIC
open door policy in China and dis
puted Japans claim that the nine
power treaty should be revised be-
cause China was not able to maintain
order.
In an open letter to Chairman
Borah, Of the senate foreign relations
committee, Secretary Stimson said
observance Of treaties would have
avoided the present Japanese
situation and that no evidence had
come to this government that compli-
ance with them would have interfered
with the protection of all legitimate
foreign born rights In China.
The secretary Of state, In the sew
eral thousand word communication,
pronounced Americas policy. filled
with detailed background, In the Far
East difficulties as one squarely be-
hind the open door policy and the
nine-power treaty, under which that
policy was subscribed to by the prin-
cipal powers.
Response To Request
The letter was In response to re-
quest by Borah for an opinion wheth-
er conditions in China have indicated
the inapplicability or ineffectiveness
Of the ,nine-power treaty, and wheth-
er it was in need of modification.
The nine-power treaty. Stimson
wrote. was entered into by Japan and
the other signatories at time when
China was engaged In an attempt to
develop free institutions and the pow
ers realized China would require
many years to attain that end.
THE treaty was thus q covenant Of
self denial among the signatory pow
erS In deliberate remuneration OF any
policy of aggression which might tend
to interfere with that development, I"
the secretary said In part. 1T was be-
lieved-and the whole history Of the
development Of the open door policy
reveals that faith-that only by such
process, under the protection Of
such an agreement, could the fullest
interest not only of China, but Of all
nations which have intercourse with
her best be served"
Made Formal Notice
The secretary reminded that "oil
January 7th last, upon the instruction
Of the president, this government for
mally notified Japan and China that
it would not recognize any situation.
treaty or agreement entered into by
those governments In violation Of the
covenants Of these treaties (the nine
power and the Kellogg BRAND trea-
ties) which affected the rights Of our
government or its citizens In China
III q similar decision should be
reached and q similar position taken
by the other governments Of the
world" he continued, "a .caveat will
be placed upon such action which. we
believe, will effectually bar the legal
ity hereafter Of any title or right
sought to be maintained. by pressure
or treaty violation, and which, as has
been shown by history in the past,
will eventually lead to the restoration
to China OF rights and titles OF which
she may have been deprived"
Stimson said recent events In China
and especially the hostilities begun IN
Manchuria and extended to Shanghai,
far from indicating the advisability Of
treaty modification, have tended to
emphasize 1.-The vital importance OF
the faithful observance Of the cove
nants."
Avoids Sore Spot
He avoided any attempt to place his
finger on the sore spot or blame Tor
the Far Eastern troubles.
Stimson declared that the whole
fabric of international understand
ing in the Far East-including even
the balance of naval power agreed
on in 1921-22-was threatened by
the hostilities between Japan and
China.
It was partly because Of the
guarantees in the now-disregarded
nine-power treaty, he said, that the
United States agreed to give up
some Of its battleships and abandon
further Notifications 1t Guam and
the Philippines.
Soon after the senate met, It
waived it's rules to send to the white
house the confirmation Of Joseph G..
Grew as ambassador to Japan. He
succeeds w. Cameron Forbes.