Evening star., 1932-02-10

Americans who study the killing Of
non combatants in China are impressed
by the fact that the japanese military
leaders are defying the public opinion of
all other nations. and that they fail
to realize their course is likely to build
sentiment which will destroy nation
al financial stability and losses in COM
merce
The japanese, on landing at Shang-
hal, as reported, acted like a boy with
new toy, eager to try out their mill
tary instruments" says the San Fran
cisco Chronicle, adding; When the
world sees innocent non-cOmbatant men,
women and children slaughtered with
reckless bombs 1t completely forgets any
right Of action on Japan's side japanese
, militarism may be efficient, but it Is not
polite. From all appearances, it is per-
fectly needless of the opinion Of the
world" The Lexington Leader declares:
The japanese have lost world respect
and the good will of nations. and at the
same time they have made the estab-
lishment Of world peace much more re-
mote and difficult"
The common movement for peace
and for just settlement of the points
in dispute without military pressure must
be disturbing to cunning japanese cal
culations." thinks the Chicago Daily
News, with the conclusion: If the ccm-
mon diplomatic action is reinforced
by common policy of withholding
financial assistance from both China and
Japan, the war-makers will be brought
soon to the end of their resources. Al
ready Japanese business confidence is
demoralized. Japanese credit in this
country and in Great Britain declines
daily. Such developments should de-
fate this preposterous flare-up Of
Japan's inflated national. ego."
1T is only too clear" in the opinion
OF the Birmingham Age-Herald, that
the civilized powers may have to put
some kind of economic boycott In op-
Grafton. That should have been done
long time ago. and. If it had been
done, we would not be facing the pres
ent crisis. But a boycott would be
futile. unless it were widely effective
And there's the rub. Even if the United
States were ready for the step, there
is no assurance that others would be-
Still, if the japanese should keep on
acting as though they had run amuck,
| there Is no telling how much a deeply
stirred world opinion might serve to
prod the governments into punitive
action against such transgressor."
That a general boycott would be
equivalent to war, and that it would
be unwise Is the conclusion Of numer-
| GUS American newspapers. The Ann
| Arbor Daily News argues: "At first
blush, an economic boycott appears to
be a peaceful means of exerting pres
| sure against war. But it would be tan
tamount to severing relations. which
always is a step preliminary to war
An embargo on arms and munitions for
! both the opposing forces in the Far
, East would be entirely warranted by
present conditions, but boycott would
be expanding the same idea to dan
gerous extremes
Taking similar position, the James
vile Gazette argues against such dras-
| tic action. stating: 1T seems strange
that leading pacifists in the United
States are seriously advocating boycott
of Japanese goods and suggesting that
we sever diplomatic relations at the
same time. Either action Is threat
of war; either action is a preliminary
notice ttat the nation establishing such
la boycott is prepared for and invites
war of sanguinary character. That
| was Chinas only weapon in protest
against the attack on Manchuria. and
the Shanghai massacre IS Japan'S
| answer"
| On the side of war resources. the
Oklahoma City Times holds that Japan
cannot long remain formidable without
drawing on foreign resources, particu-
larly money. foodstuffs and raw ma
terials. The powers are in a strong
position to enforce their demands for
peace in the Far East" The Mime
apolis journal concludes: IT China Is
to Be champioued against excessive