Evening star., 1937-10-01

ments would be #$$% is
held responsible
for losses Of D.u;,I
American lives
and property. 1t turns out now that
the Department of State had made
protests before Mr.. RooseveltS press
interview occurred and that the
Japanese government had fatty re-
jected the viewpoint expressed by our
Department of State
Perhaps the American attitude
would have been better understood if
the terms of the Japanese reply, which
it now develops came on August 81,
had been made public. But what is
most important is that the position of
the United States Government now
has been made public and along with
it splendidly phrased statement by
Admiral Yarnell, commander in chief
of the Asiatic Fleet of the United
States Navy, which, of course, has
the full approval of the Department
of State and the President. The state
ment by Admiral Yarnell is well worth
quoting:
THE policy of the Commander in
Chief during the present emergency
is to employ United States naval
forces under his command so as to
offer all possible protection and as
slstance to our nationals where needed.
Naval vessels will be stationed in ports
where American citizens are concen-
trated and will remain there until it
is no longer possible or necessary to
protect them or until they have been
evacuated.
For Duration OF Controversy.
This policy based on our duties
and obligations will be continued as
long as the present controversy be-
tween China and Japan exists and
will continue in full force even after
our nationals have been warned to
leave China and after an opportunity
to leave has been given. Most Ameri-
can citizens now in China are en-
gagged in business or professions which
are their only means of livelihood
These persons are unwilling to leave
until their businesses have been de-
stroyed or they are forced to leave
due to actual physical danger. Until
such time comes our naval forces
cannot be withdrawn without failure
in our duty and without bringing
great diScredit on the United States
Navy. In giving assistance and protec-
ton, our naval forces may at times
be exposed to dangers which will in
most cases be slight, but, in any case,
these risks must be accepted"
UphOIds Tradition.
No better statement could have
been issued. 1t expresses the historic
position of the United States in in
ternational law and custom and meets
fully the criticism of President Roose-
velt's impromptu statement to the
press. which was so widely construed
abroad as an abandonment of our ma
tionals. About two weeks before the
Yarnell statement came out this cor
respondent wrote:
ut is the implication to be drawn |
from the Presidents stay-at-your-
oWn-risk remark which will cause un-
easiness all over the world wherever
American citizens happen to be, un-
less the Presidents statement is soon |
supplemented by a strongly worded |
document promising at least diplo- |
matte protection as well as physical |
facilities for evacuation for those |
caught in war areas by circumstances |
beyond their own control"
No Offhand Comment.
When the administration does mod
ify its policy or reveals that it has
lob r,-tai
icism, it is only fair that attention |
be drawn to such change by those |
who voiced criticism. 1t is also i'm
portant to record the fact that Mr. |
Roosevelt has refrained from discuss
ing the Japanese-C Chinese situation in !
any ofhand comments to the press |
and th~t all the departments of the |
government concerned are collaborat-
ing in whatever pronouncements are
made.
There was for a time some doubt as
to whether Admiral Yarnell was speak
ing for the Navy alone or whether his
remarks had been approved by the
Secretary of the Navy and by the
President 1t would be incredible if a
naval officer made a statement like
that quoted above and made public
as news release at the Nevy Depart
ment here if the pronouncement were
not in accord with the Presidents own
wishes.
To Mr.. Roosevelt as much as any,
body else must go the credit for
authorizing the publication of the
statement by Admiral Yarnell, and it
is not a difficult inference to draw
that the japanese government has
taken due cognizance of the nature of
the vital sentences uttered by the COM
mander in chief of our Asiatic Fleet
Japan's Esteem Blasted.
The assault on innocent men, women
and children by the Japanese has
shocked the world. 1t has set the
japanese back so years in world
esteem. Barbarities and cruelties sre
part of war, to be sure, but they are
usually excesseS committed here and
there by subordinate officers or by
overzealous commanders. The spec
tacle of a so-called major power
issuing orders to bomb non -combatants
is so horrible that how the rest of the
world can ever think in terms of
respect again for the japanese govern
ment is difficult to imagine. The
Japanese may not care today for the
respect of mankind, but the time will
come when the Toxic authorities will
wish they had followed better policy
Of public relations. They will become
aroused to world protest when it is
too late to make amends. World
opinion against the japanese may
some. day take the form of a general