The Bismarck tribune., 1933-06-21

to whether they agree or disagree
with The Tribune's policies.
The Rising Sun
(Chicago Tribune)
Six weeks ago Toxic dispatch re-
ported that the Japanese government
had decided to revive Port Arthur as
a naval base. It would be strange If
1t did not. Strategically this base
closes the Gulf of Chihn and guards
the communications of the japanese
with north China. It adds Important
ly to her facilities for control Of the
Chinese sea coast down to Shanghai.
After the war with Russia Port Arthur
sank into ostensible insignificance, but
the progress of Japanese expansion
was certain to bring 1t to the fore as
an important link In the chain of
Japanese control.
The development of Japan as a
great world power, largely dominating
the situation In the far east, seems to
us inevitable. No other power or
practicable group Of powers will arrest
1t, though international pressures and
perhaps internal complications will in
various degrees restrain it. This we
believe Is realized in European foreign
offices. The protests of the American
state department under Mr.. Stimson
were given lip service in Downing
|street and even the Quai d'Orsay for
obvious diplomatic reasons, but the
British and French governments were
not in situation to employ force.
while Mr. Stinson was relying upon
world opinion" The Japanese gov
ernment was fully aware of the mo-
ment. The time to check it's enter
prise was at its inception. and the
only way to check it was by the appli-
cation of force, which no nation or
group of nations had any intention Of
resorting to. Only an incorrigible
dreamer will expect the facts accom-
plished In Manchuria and north China
to be undone by any proceeding Of the
so-called machinery Of world peace.
Compromises, concessions or trades
will be worked out In due time, but
Japan is on the Asiatic mainland to
stay.
Japan is also in her inundated
islands to stay. She has been devel-
oping commercial" bases in selected
positions, but they are potential and
intentional naval bases They lie
athwart the approach of Asia, from
the east.
This evolution should be understood
in America. It is epochal. It cannot
be conjured away by diplomatic magic
Of the Stimson variety. At and since
the Washington conference we have
progressively diminished our ability to
exercise ponderable influence upon
events in the Pacific by surrrendering
our right to develop bases essential to
sea power in the Pacific and by al
lowing our naval power to fall rapidly
in strength. We are being shut off
from Asia and short of war to re-
gain what we have voluntarily given
up, a war we have no intention to
make, we shall have to surrender all
hope of obtaining substantial share
of the profits of trade and develop
ment in the far east or rely upon
making the best arrangements we
can, alone or in cooperation with
other powers, with the dominent
power Of Japan.
It is bootless to reflect that If the
Chinese had not wasted their strength
in internecine wars and If we had not
followed the course we adopted at the
Washington conference our situation
would be very different. As it is, oul
opportunity to assist in the modern
ization Of China and to extend our
commerce in the far east will depend
more and more upon the will Of ia
pan. We do not assert that In the
long run this Is the worse alternative
There are substantial factors for the
support of friendly and mutually
profitable relations with Japan. Amer
ica Is her best market and Japan Il
, one OF our best. For the present a
least our commercial interests largely
articulate. II our policy comes dow
out OF cloudland and shapes itself b.
realities, cooperation and mutual ex
} change of benefits can be established
provided, Of course, Japanese policy i
equally rational. War between U
would be insane. while the constan
friction arising from our futile expert
Iments In international monitorship j
, removable by the restoration Of com
mon sense to American foreign policy
We do not doubt that there will b
5 active competition for commercial an
financial advantages, in which Japal
will play her hand for all it IS worth
and it will be hand, we think
stronger as time goes on. All tn
S more reason, therefore, that this con
|, test shall take place within fran
y |of mutual understanding and friend
illness. These marked our relation
for many years and the friction Of re
q cent years Is not unavoidable. give
e the will to peace and reasonable com
+ Ipromise on both sides. This will nee
:: cultivating, with due regard to tn
: self-respect Of both nations. At pres
q ent sentiment in both countries, an
Especially In Japan, is not what
g should be. but the causes Of distru!
and resentment are removable by vii
y craftsmanship.