The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-01-29
DARK DAYS OF
1914 ARE JUST
AROUND CORNER
Europe'S Attitude Toward
Ending Warfare Is LET
Uncle Sam Do It,
BRITAIN MAY LEND AID
DOminionS Alarmed; Other
Powers Would Like to
See u. S. EmbroiIed.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
ScriDps- Howard Foreign Editor

oNiippa-HVWdIu fofelEn Euitor
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29-The
next ninety-six hours are expected
to decide not only the fate Of
China, but Of the peace machinery
of the civilized world.
Failure of the United States and
Europe to curb Japan in this crisis,
it is admitted on both sides of the
Atlantic. will throw the world back
to where it was in 1914, when ma
tons grabbed what they had the
power to grab, and held it if they
could.
The attitude of Washington will
depend largely upon how far Lon
don, Paris and Geneva are willing
to CO. and at this writing America
apparently has been deserted by
England, France and the league to
face rampant Japan alone.
Both Britain and France have
been increasingly inclined of late
to give Japan free hand in China,
so long as she does not interfere
with their special spheres of in
terest.
DominiOns Alarmed
Nevertheless, Britain's hand may
be forced by her dominions. Canada
and Australia, two of the strongest,
are alarmed over the danger to
them of a ese-controlled Pa
cif1c.
1t is not thought that the United
States would risk drastic action
alone in the far east. But, sup
ported by Great Britain in turn
backed by her potent dominions, a
financial, and possibly gradually
broadening, boycott might be at
tempted.
But France. is in a position-and
apparently in the mood-to nullify
even such mild measures as these.
French Indo- China, obtained by
methods not unlike those now be-
ing used by Japan, is a paying in
vestment and there is more ripe
colorial fruit next door ready to
drop into Frances lap, if the tree is
shaken hard enough.
That Japan is moving heaven and
earth to drive China into such a
frenzy that she will declare war
against Japan, or in desperation
commit some act which will give
Japan a halfway plausible excuse
to declare war against China, is
seen here.
Throat of China
Japan could have taken Picking,
the old capital, or Marking, the new,
with greater ease and far less dan
ger of international complications
than she risks in taking Shanghai.
But Shanghai is the throat of China
her Now York, her principal
source of revenue in the guise of
customs receipts. Deprived of these,
she will go to pieces.
The writer learns that China was
on the point of giving Japan the
opportunity she seeks a week ago.
Not only was she on the verge of
breaking off diplomatic relations
with Toxic, but of declaring a state
of war between the two countries.
Had this been done, it is under
stood, Japan was prepared to set
up an actual blockade and resort to
open war, the more quickly to bring
China to her knees.
The movement to leave the United
States to face the perilous far east
ern crisis alone, is said to have
arisen out of Europe's ugly economic
situation. To interfere with Japan's
ambitions would be to borrow trou-
BILE and expense when Europe has
plenty of both at home.
None Are Interested
There is hardly a nation in Eur
ope really interested in keeping
China intact. On the contrary.
there are those that stand to profit
were she to fall to pieces. To main
tain peace when something is to be
gained is one thing, but peace for
peace'S sake is another. Let Uncle
Sam do it.
Finally when all is said and done,
a war between the United States
and Japan would be to the liking
of certain European circles. It
would be a big war, it would be a
costly war. And both nations
would need a lot of aid, in goods
and financing
If Europe could keep out, it might
not be a bad thing-especially as
Japan and America, two of the
worlds leading industrial and COM
mercial powers, would eliminate
each other as Europe'S rivals. for a
long time to come.
The United states has a $500o0,-
100000 stake abroad. More than
half of this is in war debts, COM
mercial loans and investments. The
rest is in territory, the merchant
marine, and so on.