Evening star., 1937-07-18
nv CONSTANTINE BROWN.

State Department, sounded
note OF warning in his address
before the Institute OF Public Affairs
at the University of Virginia, he ex-
pressed the deep pessimism of the
adm ministration at the present inter
national situation and voiced faint
hope that common sense might still
prevail in Europe.
Sumner Weles was appointed ex-
ecutive officer of the State Department
to instill new life in the heretofore
somnolent institution. The old policy
of Official optimism in the face of the
most critical situations is now being
abandoned. The American public,
henceforth, will be taken into the
confidence Of the high priests of the
State Department as far as the general
outlook OF the international situation
Is concerned
The world" said Mr.. Welles, lis at
the mercy Of an incident, of any spark
which may light the confagration Of
. aior international war if the basic
doctrine on non-intervention in Spain
As not rigidly adhered to by those
nations which sympathize with one or
the other OF the two factions"
At the time the Undersecretary of
State made his speech it was not yet
clear that the Non-Intervention Com
mittee in London would become
another Council of the League of
Nations. an association of powers
divided into two bitterly antagonistic
groups. an association Of "a nations
In which the minority-Germany,
Italy and Portugal-could torpedo the
illusory neutrality policy of the other
European states.
Factors in Political World.
In the confusion which today reigns
In the political world, the following
factors are outstanding:
l. Germany and Italy are in the
drivers seat despite the economic and
financial depression which prevails in
both those countries. Mussolini and
Hitler intend to obtain all they want
or fight for it. The bombardment of
Almeria by the German battleship
was merely gesture, but politically it
was a reassertion of the Reichs self
confidence and warning to Great
Britain and France that the Reich
will not be cowed. The withdrawal of
the entire German fleet from the
Mediterranean and its concentration
In the Baltic succeeded in causing
discomfort In London Paris and
Washington-to say nothing of Mos
COW.
Z. The situation on the Amur River
has not by any means improved. On
June 20 the Japanese opened fire on
flotilla OF Soviet gunboats. Diploma
j.. tic negotiations ensued. The Soviet
foreign minister, Maxim Litvinon
said that Russia would withdraw from
the Islands of Sennufu and Bolshoi if
the Japanese would do the same The
Toxic government replied that this
vas not possible because there were no
japanese forces on those islands
After a few days OF diplomatic bicker-
ing, the Soviet foreign secretary got
Of his high horse and agreed to with
draw his forces Internationally. The
incident appeared to be settled.
Litvinoff Complains.
A few days later, however, Comrade
ltvino1 complained that Japanese
troops we're occupying the islands
which had been evacuated by the
Soviet troops. The japanese Ambass-
edor in Moscow replied that he had no
knowledge about this, but if Japanese
forces actually we're there. it was
undoubtedly necessary move on the
part OF his government. Simultan ne
. ously the japanese foreign Office an
nounced that the presence of a few
Japanese detachments on what the
Russians claimed as their territory
was necessary as measure of self
protection.
In the meantime. three divisions Of
fresh japanese troops had slipped out
Of Japan to reinforce the garrisons in
Manchuria. An adequate number of
tanks and fighting planes were dis
patched with these soldiers.
The Soviet diplomats, knowing their
own weakness, tried to bluff their way
out by adopting an adamant attitude.
But they yielded as soon as it became
; evident that the japanese meant
business. This confirmed the views
OF Berlin and Toxic that Russia is
1ess ready to fight today than she was
few months ago. Never in the last
f1ve years have the aggressor nations
found themselves in a more advan-
taReous spot than now With Great
Britain unprepared and France on the
edge OF domestic volcano, the Soviet
Republics are alone and at the mercy
Of their belligerent neighbors.
The incident OF June 29 is regarded
IN Washington as only a prelude.
The administration is quietly working
i, through our diplomatic representatives
abroad to avert serious developments
The new Undersecretary of State
Sumner Welles. has been given a free
hand by the President to strengthen
our representation abroad by placing
men OF real skill In the key positions
instead of the usual pleasure seeking
diplomats
The new American Ambassadors and
their staffs will henceforth become
intelligent reporters and will be re-
qulred to mingle with all sections OF
the countries to which they are at
tached instead Of maintaining only
those official and social contacts which
have heretofore been useless-from 9
constructive point of view.
The administra ton is fully aware
that merely holding out hope for q
downward tariff revision or some reci
procity advantage is no longer sum
c1ent Two distinct economic theorie,
-, must be broken down: The old one
based on the exchange OF goods with
gold As the yardstick; and the new one
developed In the authoritarian state,
Germany, italy and Japan. based
internally on forced labor and ex.
ternally on the old barter system.
The administration Is judging the
situation impartially. On the whole
,.oJ;a{AS ~ EJorr Hitler md Ci0y,o