The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-12
WASHINGTON IN
DILEMMA over
JApAN'S STAND
Peril to China and Great
Powers Grows, as Nippon
IntenSifieS Attack.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

cCtipph~hoWafu fOftlEu Entkof
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-Baffled,
befuddled, and dismayed, official
Washington today scanned the far
eastern storm clouds for anything
remotely resembling rift
anxiously, but in vain.
Instead, a dozen rudy danger
signals had thrust themselves above
the horizon in the last twenty-four
hours, warning of increasing peril
to China and to the great powers
whose fighting men and warships
are clustered at Shanghai
Further advices from Toxic add
gravity to Japans proposal to lin
ternationaliZe" China's principal
cities-a proposal which the state
department characterized as step
in the direction Of ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Japan, it appears, is prepared to go
the absolute limit to smash the
Chinese boycott. If the United
States and other foreign powers are
unwilling to join her to make China
behave properly, by increasing in
ternat.onal control by the above, or
some other, method, she will COM
plete the job alone.
Huge War Orders Reported
Inundated by their fortnight of
failure to rout the Chinese from
Shanghai, the japanese general
staff, observers here anticipate, will
make the Yangtze and Whangpoo
run with blood if necessary to save
their face"
Other factors from widely sepa-
rated parts of the world have
cropped up to add to the uneasiness
here.
/. Moscow reports that Japan has
placed enormous orders for war ma
terials in France, which country
had advanced 0O,000,000 yen-$4O0,-
100000 at the normal rate of ex-
change-with which to carry on.
2. Similarly it is reported that the
Skoda works, in -Slovakia. is
working day and night on war or
ders from Japan. Czecho-S lovakia
is Frances ally.
~ AOlll AAdA JILL okCbSIlCD ObdUC
that beneath a cloak of unwonted
silence, Soviet Russia is preparing
feverishly against a Japanese sur
prise attack in North Manchuria.
Camouflaged troop movements were
In progress in the direction of
Vladivostok and other strategic
points.
England Counted Out"
4. Speeches in the house of COM
mons reveal that in the present
world crisis Great Britain will have
to be counted out, so far as any
vigorous stand against Japan is
concerned. Her trade is lower than
it has yet been, unemployment has
set new all-time record and very
peSsimistic news is arriving daily
from India.
5. France, long the one prosper
GUS country in Europe, now is re-
ported increasingly hard hit. Or
ders from Japan would be welcome
and helpful. And, despite denialS,
far eastern observers here and
abroad remain convinced that there
is some sort Of understanding be-
tween the two countries covering
the Orient.
6. 1t is regarded as significant
that the League of Nations, instead
of boldly tackling the far eastern
conflict, is doing its utmost to hold
DR.. Yen, the Chinese delegate, in
check to prevent him invoking Ar
ticle 16, with its all-for- one- and
one-for-all provisions.
StimsOn in Dilemma
Meanwhile, from Capitol Hill,
pours the most conflicting advice.
Some advocate strong hand. Some
urge scuttling as fast as possible
from the scene of trouble. Others
suggest a boycott against Japan.
only to be reminded by still another
school that a boycott is almost tan
tamount to an act of war. And so
on.
HopelesSly divided as to policy,
Washington apparently is united
on only one thing; namely, that
the state department must do moth
ing that risks getting us into war.
AS a result of all the foregoing,
Secretary of State Stimson, fully
aware of the perils that beset every
step of the way, is a mighty busy,
and mighty tired man. His days
are taken up with conferences with
division chiefs and diplomats.
Nights find thin studying reports
from Shanghai, Toxic, Manchuria,
Europe.
Perhaps more than any other
Washington official just now, he
knows what it is to anoint his wor-
ries with the midnight oil.
Boy Dies Suddenly
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