Evening star., 1937-12-15
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Just about the time Japanese bombing
Davy Jones locker. Admiral Arthur j.
Hepburn, commander in chief OF the
United States Fleet, was in conference
with President Roosevelt. It was not
the Far Eastern situation that brought
Hepburn to Washington, his recent So
journ having been associated with his
duties as senior member Of the Selec-
ton Board for admirals. But naval con-
ditions in the Pacific, favorite concern
Of F. D. r.. bulked conspicuously in his
confab with the ranking ofdcer of the
fleet. On leaving the White House, Hep
burn indicated he'd told the President
the Navy was never in better shape"
incidentally. the admiral laid before Mr..
Roosevelt the plans for 1898 maneuvers.
These will begin on March and last
until April 20. They will comprehend
the so-called Alaska a-Hawaii-Samoa line,
covering the vast Pacific area stretch
ing from the Aleutian Islands, our near
est point Of contact with Japan, to the
waters contiguous to Australia-about
the widest theater Of battle practice in
which Uncle Sans warships have ever
operated. AS Admiral Hepburn will haul
down his flag in mid February, the
maneuvers will be under the direction
of his successor, Admiral Claude c.
Bloch.
President Roosevelt's demand for
apologies, indemnities and guarantees
from Japan for the Panay outrage re-
calls the action taken by President Wilson
IN, To hn
of Naval Engineer 1t. W.. H. Langdon,
u S. S. Albany, by a Japanese sentry at.
Vladivostok. It was Acting Secretary of
State Norman H. Davis who notified the
Toxic government that III this were an
isolated instance of misdirected activity,
it might be possible to regard 1t as no
particular significance. It Is, however,
unfortunately the fact that reports re-
ceived by the American Government in
dicate that this is merely the most seri-
Gus of number of like cases Of inter-
ference with American citizens in por-
tions of Siberia where Japanese troops
are stationed" Washington insisted upon
prompt and suitable reparation for the
utterly unjustif1ed action of the Japa-
nese sentry" Lieutenant Langdon, who
was in uniform, after informing the
sentry that he was an American, was
shot in the back, ultimately dying of his
wound. Diplomatic correspondence last
ed more than a month. Toxic finally
expressed deep regret" over the sad
event" but acquitted the sentry because
his action was due to inaccurate orders"
His superior officers, q major, two cap
tains and lieutenant. were confined to
barracks for periods ranging from seven
to thirty days. 1t was further promised,
by way Of assurances for the future"
that the commanding ofncer in question,
General Nishihara, would never receive
another command In the Japanese Army.
&+*
Archives Of the United States, now
palatially housed In one Of the finest
Government buildings In Washington,
are about to receive an immense and
precious addition. It consists Of the
foreign relations volumes and other De-
partment of State publications dating
from 1889 to 1906. Hitherto inadequatedly
and unsafely stored in the catacombs
of the State, War and Navy Building,
the priceless collection contains the
originals of such historic papers as the
tICdty VI AACpC1OC1lCS With OTEaL
Britain. the treaty Of Ghent, which end
ed the War of 1912; the louisiana Pur-
chase documents bearing the signature
of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Perry treaty
with Japan, OUR earliest treaties with the
Indians, the Webster treaty
of Anglo-American arbitration, the
critical Civil War correspondence with
Great Britain, the Olney Cleveland note
70 London on Venesuols and q hoc* Of