Evening star., 1934-09-19

drastic measure was the quota system
applicable to Japanese goods exclu-
Sively. Great Britain, for instance, has
now enforced the quota system against
Japanese merchandise, but she had not
made up her mind about this drastic
and unfriendly measure at the time OF
the London Economic Conference.
This economic nationalism which
prevails throughout the world Is very
harmful, as it acts against the pro-
motion of international commerce.
Japan and the United States at first
put up Joint resistance against this
economic trend. Such resistance was
one of the major policies advocated
by President Roosevelt and 1t remains
SO today. The Democratic leaders
who replaced the Republican admin
istration under President Hoover
criticized the Republican tariff, saying
it was too high and that their mission
was to lower tariffs Thus far the
United States was determined to as
sert itself against attempts by other
nations to erect higher tariff walls
or enforce other arbitrary restrictive
measures. Japan was more eager
than America to fight against trade
restrictions.
Americans Consiliatory.
The American delegation to the
London Economic Conference, how
ever, perceiving the dangerous atmos-
phere developing shortly before the
conference decided to adjourn, as
sumed q more conciliatory attitude.
They perceived the necessity of con-
forming to the general drift of the
conference. They came out In the
end with the suggestion that the
United States might consider reci-
procal treaties, which, in practice,
would mean their retreat before the
prevailing nationaliStic atmosphere
Of the conference, for their show
Of readiness to consider reciprocal
treaties meant their acceptance Of q
stand Incompatible with unqualified
adhesion to the principle Of most
favored nation treatment.
This left Japan alone as the cham
pion of free trade, contending single
handed that international trade
should be based on fair play and free
competition, and that there should
be no preferences. no high tari1 walls,
no quotas. Such was the situation
when I came home from the London
Economic Conference.
There was no warrant for calling
the advance of japanese merchandise
aggression. Foreign countries found
it impossible to compete with Japan's
industries: her goods were better, the
price cheaper The only thing left
for them to do was to interfere with
the entry Of Japanese goods into
those parts OF the world where they
were planted firmly. no matter
whether the means they chose to
adopt for the purpose were justifiable
or not. They closed their doors to
japanese merchandise, they turned
their backs on the principle Of the
open door. all the while demanding
the open door to China and charging
Japan with having attempted to
close 1t.
April Incident Cited.
The latest example of this demand
by the powers for the freedom"
abroad which they deny at home was
the furor caused by the statement
to the press by the director Of the
Information Bureau of the Toxic
foreign Office last April. The foreign
office statement, as I understand 1t,
was to the purport that Japan does
not want other powers to do what
they object to Japan doing. The
spokesman of the foreign office un-
doubtedly had in mind the possible
assistance to China Of the Leagle
of Nations, without consultation with
Japan, in the form Of loans and 20
litical reconstruction, the latter i'm
mediately involving the supply Of
arms and munitions, airplanes. etc.
We are facing a strange situation.
All nations except Japan are closing
their doors to free trade. Instead of
directing their analysis Of conduct