Evening star., 1934-05-01
Secretary Says Relation.
ships Guided by Treaties
and Agreements.
STATEMENT DEFENDS
RIGHTS OF ALL NATIONS
Skillful Diplomatic Stroke Credit
ed to Cabinet Member Who
States Frankness Necessary.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN

The United States Government
fatty rejects the Japanese claim to
control Chinas destinies.
This became known last night when
the State Department made public a
statement which Secretary Hull in
structed the United States Ambassa-
dor at Toxic, Joseph Grew, to COM
municate officially to the japanese
foreign Office
The American statement OF policy
although drafted in moderate terms,
is nevertheless so clear and emphatic
that it leaves no doubt about how
the Government feels in regard to the
japanese declaration of April II that
the japanese government alone have
the right to decide what is good and
what Is bad for China and conse-
quently reserves the right to dictats
to the Western nations their inter-
course with the Chinese republic.
Stands on Treaties.
The American Government in
formed Japan the existing interna-
tional treaties and agreements alone
determine the relationships of the
United States with other countries.
I'm the international associations
and relationship of the United States,
the Hull statement said. the Ameri-
can Government seeks to be duly con-
siderate of the rights. the obligations
and the legitimate interests of other
countries and 1t expects on the part of
other governments due consideration
Of the rights the obligations and the
legitimate interests of the United
States
These rights and obligations of the
United States are contained in mul-
titude of treaties concluded either
with Japan. or with China, or with
both, the most important of all being
the nine-power treaty, signed in
Washington on February 6, 1922. This
treaty, as far as the American Gov
ernment is concerned. is still in ex-
istence. since none of its signatories
has denounced it.
Situation Watched.
This being the case, Secretary Hull
declared:
In the opinion Of the American
people and the American Government,
no nation can, without the assent of
other nations concerned, rightfully
endeavor to make conclusive its will
in situations where there are involved
the rights, the obligations and the
legitimate interests of other sovereign
states"
For nearly two weeks the Secretary
has been watching closely the situa-
ton in the Far East. In spite of the
impatience shown in certain quarters
because the administration apparently
did not deem it necessary to make
some statement or express an opinion
when major American interests
abroad were endangered, Mr. Hull
bided his time. The State Department
was getting all available information
as to the extent and the importance
of the japanese threat. 1t has proved
new to have played a skillful diplo-
matte game.
After having gathered all available
threads from the declarations of the
japanese representatives, it finally
obtained an official Interpretation
from Foreign Minister Hirota him
self. This official declaration was
forced by a request of the British
government through its Ambassador
in Toxic.
Explanation Fails.
But while the British government,
through Foreign Secretary Sir John
Simon, expressed its satisfaction that
the japanese did not intend to close
the open door" in China, this opin-
ion was not shared by the State De-
partment. And close on the heels of
the declaration of the British foreign
secretary in the House of Commons
came the statement Of Secretary Hull
reminding the japanese government
that there are treaties and agree
ments which regulate the relationship
between China and the other powers.
1.-THE relations between the United
States with China are governed"
Ambassador Grew informed the Jap
anese government on behalf of Secre-
tary Hull, las our relations with Japan
and our relations with other countries,
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