The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-19
ban ON help
TO AGGRESSION
NATION ASKED
Capper Bill Would Forbid
U. S. Shipping Supplies
to War Maker.
LEAGUES HANDS TIED
Lack of Information on
American Stand Proves
Big Handicap.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-HoMard FOREIGN Editor


WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-Senator
Arthur Capper Rep., Kan), soon
will introduce in congress a resolu-
ton to forbid the United States or
any of its nationals aiding an
aggressor nation with supplies of
any kind.
The Capper resolution will be
general in character and will not De
aimed at Japan or any other parti-
cular power. 1t would have an i'm
portant bearing on the Far Eastern
situation, nevertheless.
Should the League of Nations
assembly, now almost certain to
meet, decide to boycott Japan, the
resolution would mean that the
United States at least would respect
the boycott. Abroad this is regarded
as vital.
U. S. Stand in Fog
Passage of some such clarifying
resolution as this is seen as increaS-
ingly important, if world peace ma
chinery is not to collapse under its
handicapping burden of hesitant
and cropping member nations.
Though the United States is not a
member of the League of Nations,
and thus is without legal obligations
under its covenant, it took the lead
ing part in promoting the Kellogg
pact, the fundamental object of
which comedies with that of the
covenant. That is to say, the pre-
yention of aggressive war.
Notwithstanding all this, the
United States has not seen fit yet u
enlighten the rest of the world as
to what its attitude would be in the
event the Kellogg pact is violated
hagrantly.
Even the Sino-JapaneSe conflict
has not brought out Americas ~
tentions in this regard. Japans
conquest today entered its sixth
month. Japan is waging a major
offensive at Shanghai. Manchuria
and Mongolia have been torn bodily
from China and made into a So
called independent state, a protec-
torate of the japanese empire.
covenant Is tlOuLed
The covenant of the league today.
more than ever, is being houted by
Nippon. Also the Ine-power treaty,
guaranteeing China's territorial and
political integrity, framed by the
United States, and the Kellogg pact,
another peace machine made in
America.
Japan and the world peace ma
chinery, therefore, have arrived at
the supreme showdown.
Meanwhile, Great Britain and the
other powers are moving heaven and
earth trying to find OUT how far the
United States will cooperate to
make peace machinery function.
The transatlantic cables and tele-
phones are known to be fairly hum
ming with the query, but in vain.
Thus, in the moment of its great
est peril since 1914, the world is left
up IN the air, waiting for the crash.
This week, in the house of COM
mons, the debate turned on what
Geneva was going to do to stop the
war in China. Whereupon every
body wanted to know what the
United States would do should the
league council or assembly decide to
boycott Japan.
Attitude Is Important
This, it was pointed out. was per-
Clnent. The attitude of Britain
largely depended upon the answer.
Were the United States to insist
upon its right" to sell supplies to
Japan, a boycott either would be
transformed into perfectly futile
gesture, or, in an attempt to make
1t effective, the British navy might
md itself pitted against the battle
fleet OF the United States.
This is regarded as being any,
thing but an exaggerated statement
OF the situation. The league COW
enant not only calls for sanctions,
but for armed force if and when
needed to compel observance.
Having sponsored the kellogg
pact, it is widely felt here. the
United States owes it to the world
to clear up its attitude thereon.
Having. in effect, officially pro-
claimed that nation an outlaw
which deliberately violates the pact.
would it now turn around and
supply the outlaw with the where
wlthal successfully to get away with
its crime? 800
That is the question which the
Capper resolution would seek to
in the negative.