Evening star., 1932-01-28
|BR|TA|N'S REPLY
IS AWAITED BY j. S.
Officials Here Feel Anxiety
Over Situation at
Shanghai. v.
Continued From First Page.)

the British premier and Stanley Bald
win favored an immediate reply inti-
mating Britain's willingness to cooper
ate with us.
Macdonald took the idealistic point
of view Of unity and close friendship
between the English-speaking nations.
Baldwin thought apparently that Bril-
tains political and economic interests
demanded an action in common with
the United States, while many other
members of the cabinet wanted to find
out first how far the United States was
desirouS to go in case of an open con-
f1ict with Japan and what means 1t
had at present at her disposal should
she be forced to accept the japanese
challenge. A decision was deferred
until fuller information was received
from America and in the meantime it
was thought advisable to await further
developments.
London believes that the riot act"
which was read yesterday afternoon to
the Japanese representative at Geneva
would have a Salutary effect on the
japanese government and that more
precise and definite attitude of the
League Of Nations would induce the
Japanese to refrain from further ac-
tions in Shanghai.
Action Easily Understandable.
The position taken by the majority
of the British cabinet is easily under
Standable. Great Britain is today a
very sick nation. It would take more
than a mere suggestion from Washing
ton to get her out of her sick bed and
spur her into an action the consequence
of which can bring her into q most
serious situation. But while her action
is easily Understandable, the feeling
here is that the sick man has a most
robust constitution, and should the Sit
uation become actually menacing, We
might see him hop out of the sick bed
and join Us in defending tee rights Of
the people Of both countries to trade
freely throughout the world.
Great Britain is not more anxious
than We are to embark into a venture
that must have tremendous ConSe-
ouences, but We cannot help feeling
that both nations are bound to act
together to protect our interests in
the Far East.
ReporS received this morning from
the American consul general at Shang-
hal, Edwin S. Cunningham, indicate
that state Of emergency" was pro-
claimed in the foreign settlement fol-
lowing the attempt on the life of the
japanese consul general by an unknown
individual who threw a bomb in the
consulate, which is next door to the
American consulate. The flagship of
the Japanese commander in chief has
been removed to a place right in front
Of the japanese consulate which is
situated on the Whampoo River.
Files Given to Senate.
At the request of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee the entire CORE
spondence exchange between the Amer
lean Government and the governments
of Japan and China, as well as with the
League OF Nations. was sent to the Sen
ate yesterday afternoon.
A careful reading Of these documents,
most of which have never been made
public heretofore, shows the great deal
of patience and understanding of the
japanese problems in China, the Amer
lean Government has had.
From the beginning Of the Man
churian crisis last September the Amer
lean Government has admitted that
the japanese have important national
and economic interests in ManChuria,
and we realized that in more than one
case the japanese have been provoked
by the acts of the so-called Chinese
authorities in Manchuria. This Gov
eminent has never tried to thwart
Japar's legitimate ambitions in Man
churia; the only thing we have IN
sisted upon was to obtain adequate
guarantees that the open door policy
will be respected at all times by the
japanese or their puppet government
at Mukden.
The reading of the papers which are
now before the Senate shows that at
no time has the Government Of this
country had anything but a benevo-
lent attitude toward Japan. and if we
are compelled at present to take a more
decisive attitude toward Japan, it is
only because our vital national inter
ests are likely to be endangered by the
japanese ultranationalistic attitude.