The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-01
France Politically
 Penetrating Orient
Finds Empire in South Eastern Asia and Pursuing EcO-
 homie Policy Into China Says C. U. Lecturer

Washington, D. C.-Emphasiz- ing the necessity of freeing ones mind from preconceiyed notions based upon the idea of racial st,- periority and a stdouble standard of international morality" pr Taraknath Das, special lecturer on Far. Eastern Affairs at the Catho- lie University of America at Washington, D. C., spoke on "The Background of International Pol- icy in the Far East" in the first of a series of Tuesday lectures held in the Music Building Auditorium at the university.
 Dr Das summarized his remarks by saying: T wish to make tho following observations: Britain from her Indian, empire has ex- banded politically and economical- ly in the Far East at the expense of China and other nations. France has founded an empire in the southeastern Asia and from this base she is pursuing quietly a poll icy of economic and political pene- tration into China. The Tsarist Russia, through diplomatic in- trigue, military and political pres sure managed to build up a vast far eastern empire menacing sov- ereignty of China, in the north as well as Korea.
 Japan was plucky enough to put a check on Russian expansion and has taken place in the same region, yet to-day Soviet Russia is controlling Mongolia with an area of a million square miles. Soviet Russia is intent upon maintaining its influence in Sinkiang. Germany came late in the scene of empire building in the Far East and also founded colonial empire at the cost of China; but she was perma- nently eliminated from the Far East by Japan's deliberate and delicate operations, supported by Germany's enemies.
 'The United States, until the latter part of the nineteenth cen- tury was too busy in empire build ing in the American continent and also checking the western powers which were intent upon challeng- ing American political and econoin- ic supremacy in the new world. The United States was satisfied with gaining equal opportunity For trade in the Far East and did not start in the policy of imperial ex- pansion in Asia, until the acquisi- tion of the Philippines, after the Spanish American War. She is now ready to accord independence to the Philippines which will dem onstrate that she has no ambition for acquiring any territory at the cost of any nation in the Far East. Japan after making her own post ticn secure against foreign inter yention, has also entered into program of empire building by an- nexing Korea and creating Man chukuo. as a Japanese dependency. Italy, under Mussolini, has entereo the arena of the Far East to ex- pend her commercial interests m cooperation with China. Hn spite of all kinds of diplomatic engage ments and promises. the great powers of the world except the United States are still keen in em. pire building in the Far East at the expense of weak nations. Tn spite of this fact, spirit of new nationalism is sweeping through all countries of the Far East, es- peciaily China and India, the oo- feet of which is to recover the SOW ereign rights of the peoples of these countries.
 s.In the background of what is happening in certain regions or the Far East-such as Japanese eX- pansion, eliminating western eX- pansion in the Far East-there IS the application of the philosopny of "Macht Politik"-Might makes right--as practised by western powers upon the people or the East. It seems to me that there is an indication that in the Tar East sooner or later national lm- nerialism of the West will pc onsted by the re-assertion of the neoples of the Far East. It Is to be hoped that in spite of the un- sayory background of information al politics in the Far East, the ln- eyitable readjustment will be naeceful one and result in the vln. dication of sovereign rights of all peopIes. on the basis of justice ana liberay and serve as the sures' foundation for cooperation between the East and the West on the pasis of equality"