The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-26
ORIENTAL REALISM


CEvENTY MILLION Japanese can't be
~ wrong And even if Uncle Sam thinks
otherwise. he'd better be careful than sorry.
Such is the theme of Dangerous Thoughts
on the ORIENT Cd. Appleton-Century Coz by
one who has spent practically ali his adult
life in the Orient-F. R. Eldridge, former chief
of the far eastern division of the United States
department of commerce.
THE present struggle over Manchuria," the
author writes, seemed fore ordained when
Japan, a self-sufficient, hermit nation, was
forced into the comfy of nations in 1858"
In fact, he observes, the western powers
lied Japan to the mountain" and showed her
their own promised land of progress. And
like a child. Japan has grasped for this new
world, and now that she has it within her
still immature fingers we say hands off,"
We taught her international receptions
which we call diplomacy, and our own domes-
tic trickery which we call politics. But the
principal lesson she has learned from the west
is that all things are finally settled by force"
Mr.. Eldridge warns that the United States
will do we'll to be realistic rather than over
sentimental about what is taking place in
Asia. He infers that Japan is waging a battle
of life or death. in reaching out for more
space. and nothing we can do can stop her
unless we want war on our hands.
There are chapters on Japan and the
world" Japan and Russia" Japan and
China" and Japan and America" Others dis
cuSs China. while a final chapter deals with
the world peace machinery and the Danger
GUS Thoughts" which the people of this coun-
try seem to harbor thereupon.
The author feels much more could be &C
complished in the direction of world peace if
we inaugurated an international movement
to study and classify the future causes of war,
instead of trying to outlaw war per Sc.
Here his ground seems shaker than in the
chapters dealing with the situation as it exists
today on the other side of the Pacific He
observes that We have outlawed crime but
that crime goes on. Hence we can outlaw war
all we WISH yet wars will still go on until the
causes are eradicated. Which, of course is
perfectly true. yet world opinion holds that
but for law and the efforts to enforce it there
would be great deal more crime.
Mr.. Eldridge does not seem to think much
of the Kellogg pact Like most practical
: minded men, he does not think it can be
effective without teeth" and if given teeth
it will almost certainly drag us into war.
Which, he AYERS, puts us on all fours with the
Irishman who said he would have peace even
ii he had to fight for it."
We venture to assert that many realistS
believe the 1rishman on the right track.
The worlds entire system of law and order is
is based upon that very principle. While
education against crime goes on, and while
we are working through the centuries and the
millenniums to remove the causes of crime,
we will continue to need policemen. Similarly,
until the causes of war are eliminated-a
thousand years or so hence, perhaps-civiliza-
ton should strive to make wars as kew and far
between as circumstances will permit. One
war prevented is that much gained.
Nevertheless and Notwithstanding much of
what the author says unquestionably is sound.
He has made lifetime study of the Orient
and its peoples. We would do well to read
carefully his views. When he advises that the
United States should tread warily in its for
elgn relations. particularly in the far east,