The Indianapolis times., 1932-02-16
Great POWERS
CAUTION LEAVES
JAPAN DEFIANT
Britain, France, U. S. and
Russia Afraid of Taking
Initiative in Far East.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
ScriDps-Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16-The
reason for the shocking failure of
Europe and the United States to
back up the peace pacts in the far
east now can be told.
Great Britain, France, the United
States and Soviet Russia are shown
as sharing the blame and about in
the order named. Failure to act
decisively was prompted, on the one
hand, by national interests, and, on
the other, by the fear of being
isolated, then drawn into war with
Japan.
Action through the League of Ma
tions, it apepars, has been blocked
largely by France and England,
though absence of the United
States from the leagues council was
another determining factor.
Russia, secretly burning Up over
Japan's foray in Manchuria and
Mongolia, has felt herself powerless
to exercise a restraining hand, be-
cause she is not yet ready for war
especially war on two widely
separated fronts in Europe as well
as in Asia.
Washington in Quandary
Washington, from the outset, has
teetered between the devil and the
deep sea. 1t wants to stop the
prairie fire in the Orient, yet every
attempt to cooperate with the
league in an effort to present
united front has brought an ex-
plosion from the isolationists.
Nor is that all. Though it is not
admitted officially here, Washing
ton senses the danger of being
caught too far ahead Of the parade,
and left there to fight it out with
Japan alone.
Already, according to Toxic dis
patches, public opinion in Japan
appears convinced that the United
States is the only country inclined
to raise any obstacles in the way
Of Nippon's advance in Asia.
To make the position of this
country all the more delicate, there
is more than a grain of truth in
this conviction. Britain, France and
the other principal European pow
ers not only have been lukewarm,
but positively cold, toward positive
action against Japan.
Britain Checks China
Britain persistently has been op-
posed to the league going to the
mat in behalf of invaded China.
She has done everything she could
to prevent DR.. Yen, Chinese dele
gate at Geneva, from invoking ar
ticles Is and 16.
Article Is leads to Article Is, and
Article Is calls for sanctions, eco
nomic and military. These articles
are the teeth" of the covenant,
and Britain fears it would be large
ly up to her to make those teeth"
click.
Were the league to decide to boy
colt Japan, it probably would fail
unless backed by force. The United
States might refuse to join the boy
colt, insisting instead on the free
dom Of the seas" and its right" to
trade with any country it pleased
so long as there was no actual
blockade.
Actual blockade of Japan not only
would mean war with Japan, but,
if the United States or any other
power objected, war with that coun-
try as we'll.
France Eyes Germany
And Britain is not looking for
any more trouble. She has plenty
at home. India is in a state of
revolt Europe is a rumbling vol
cano constantly in danger of erup-
ton. Britain does not really care
very much what Japan does to
China, but she does care very much
what happens to Europe, to India,
and to herself. So she wants to
keep her hands free.
Frances position is similar. She,
at heart, is Indifferent to what be-
comes of Manchuria, so long as
South China, where her interests
are grouped, is let alone. But she
is afraid of Germany and of the
convulSions Europe may go into any
time.
Apparently, therefore, Japan has
pretty clear field ahead. The
major powers of Europe are indif-
ferent, and the United States sees
peril in pushing matters too Wig
orously.
Japan'S conscience, it seems, must
be her guide