Evening star., 1936-07-26
LONDON AND HAGUE LOOK
TOU. S. TO AID in FAR EAST
Britain Hopes America May Take More
Serious Notice of Antics of Japanese
Admirals i'm Dutch Indies.

to house a larger feet in the fore.
most fortress of the empire.
The Japanese agents have been
active throughout the East and United
States for the last two years. In
this country they confine their activi-
ties to petty espionage and purchase
Of whatever naval and military docu-
ments that are obtainable. In the
East, however, the task of working for
Japan is entrusted to officers of high
rank
For the last "a months the Japa-
nese have been active in the Dutch
East Indies. To show their peace
full intentions they have made open
overtures to The Hague government
either to purchase or to lease parts
of Java and Sumatra. The last word
on that question has not. yet been
spoken. But while the suave japanese
diplomats were using their most plaus-
ible arguments TO induce the Dutch
government to give more careful con-
sideration to their pressing requests.
a japanese squadron put in at Batavia
a few months ago. The usual courtesy
visits were exchanged between the
admiral and the Dutch governor,
Hardly were these formal calls ex-
changed than the Japanese liberty
parties took ashore thousands of PAM
phletS to be distributed among the
natives. These pamphlets read az
follows:
People of Java. what are yau wait.
ing for? Are you not proud of your
race, your civilization, and your gods?
We japanese consider ourselves as your
older brothers because the same blood
runs through our veins. But We. a
free and independent nation, want
to help you to conquer your own
freedom. We have no desire to con-
quer you, but We are ready to sup
port you in your fight for liberty"
Holland Swallows Insult.
The Dutch authorities, somewhat
astonished at this "indiscretion" on
the part of the japanese naval au-
thorities, politely asked the Japanese
admiral to withdraw from the Malay
territorial waters. But the admiral
replied that he would leave whenever
he saw fit. without consulting any,
body. The incident was closed with
mere protest to the foreign Office
in Toxic. Holland had to swallow the
insult. Her navy was not in a posi-
ton to force the japanese squadron
to retire. Eventually the usual non
committal explanation arrived at The
Hague from Toxic. 1t did not lessen
Hollands concern over the future of
her East Indian possessions, nor did
it soothe the apprehensive British ad-
miralty. For although Java and
Sumatra, because of their wealth. are
important to the Dutch, their stra-
tegic value is even more important to
the British.
Washington Kept Posted.
Washington is being kept posted on
all these developments by both gov
ernments, because London and The
Hague look hopefully toward the
United States as the one power with
whose assistance Japan's steady ex-
pansionist progress might conceivably
be checked.
The violent developments in Europe
have reduced the number of Western
powers interested in the Far East to
two major and one minor nations.
The major nations are the United
States and Great Britain, the minor
power is Holland.
Italy, which at one time-judging
by Mussolini's outbursts-seemed to
take a real interest in the affairs of
China. has given up the Far East as a
bad and risky business. Germany is
interested in Far Eastern markets, but
believes it can accomplish its purpose
through Toxic better than by q risky
collaboration with the Western nations.
France has an important and remu-
nerative colony in Indo- China. But
France. at least France of today, be.
lieves that the stakes in this game are
too high.
Great Britain Is risking more than
any other nation. but she is not yet
quite ready to tackle the problem.
And the British hope that we. who
are for the time being the front line
trench, may take a more serious in
terest in the antics of the japanese
admiralS in the Dutch Indies, and in
the play of the Japanese commanders
in the United States and in the Philip
pines. Whether We will depends a
great deal on the japanese themselves.
1t is they who have the initiative.
tCopyright 1850