Evening star., 1934-11-26

Primarily, the Japanese want to be
a major power. They want to be in
Asia what the United States is in
America, only more so. They know
that the one thing they must avoid is
war They could not defeat either
the United States or Britain now or
any time Soon War with either would
set japanese ambitions back 100 years.
What they are trying to do is to
expand and build themselves up by
tricky, threatening. aggressive di-
plomdcy, such as you hare witnessed
lately in the London naval con-
persation. They are going to build.
all right. Make no mistake dbout
that.
They know very we'll that the world
is too busy with other things now and
cannot step in for any co-ordinated
action against them.
The only way to offset their tactics
is for us to build also. In that way
we can peaceably maintain our pro-
tective superiority.
At least that is the way our people
have figured 1t out for themselves.
You will very probably see the trend
Of Pacific diplomacy follow along this
line for the next few years.
Much Scrap Iron Bought.
1t is true that the Japanese have
been taking lot Of scrap iron from
us recently. Our exports Of scrap
reached the unprecedented proportions
of 1,275,414 gross tons during the last
nine months. This is two and cne-
half times the exports for the same
period last year. And the Japanese
took 81 per cent of this scrap. Italy
and Poland took the bulk of the re-
mainder
Authorities here have investigated
quietly to find out what the japanese
are doing with all this scrap. They
have learned that it is going into con-
struction of japanese merchant ma
rine. The japanese intend to domi-
nate Pacific trade if they can. Also
these commercial vessels may easily
be converted for war uses.
1t is also true that the japanese
are becoming our best cotton Gus
toner. They took about rs per
cent OF our total cotton exports
last year. They are taking around
IS per cent so far this year
(although number of bales has de-
creased httleJ.
Our people suspect that much of
this cotton is going into storage for
the manufacture of gun cotton. But
they also know that the japanese are
using most of it to manufacture
textiles. They are underselling these
textiles against us In the world mar
kets.
These two things should give you
the secret of the japanese scheme
On scrap iron and cotton their pri-
mary aim is commercial expansion
rather than war. as commonly sup
posed. The war angle is only the
long-range secondary objective.
Talk Declared Brake.
For these reasons our best authori-
ties are confident the Japanese will
not let the dangerous game they are
playing get out of hand. Publication
of the amazingly unwarlike interview
Of ex-Premier Makoto Saitc was not
break. but a brake. Ambassador
Hiroshi Saito has been working along
similar soft-pedaling lines there. Don't
worry about them being assassinated
in Japan. Their activities fit per-
fectly within the japanese diplomatic
scheme-the mailed fist in a velvet
glove.
What has encouraged our officials so
much lately is the fact that the Brit
ish withstood the strongest japanese
diplomatic efforts to drive a wedge
between us at London.
Also they noted the way Babe Ruth
was received in Toxic and are talking
about making him an Ambassador. He
is the only American who seems to get
anywhere with the Japanese.