Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-08-18
War MAY Yet Come.

News of the decision of the admin
istration to send 1900 additional Marines
to Shanghai, thereby more than doubling
the present force stationed in that war
scourged city, may be read as an indi-
cation of expectations in the State
Department of things to come in the
Far East.
The significance of the move as a
protective measure for American ma
tionals in Shanghai is overshadowed by
its significance as preparation for the
possibility of outright warfare between
China and Japan, for this contingent
will be unable to sail from San Diego
for ten days and will not be landed in
Shanghai for five weeks, by which time
the evacuation of Americans from
Shanghai and the surrounding area may
easily have been completed.
At the time of President Roosevelt's
conference Monday afternoon with Sec
rotary of State Hull, Gen. Malin Craig,
chief of staff of the Army; Rear Admiral
James 0. Richardson, acting chief of
naval operations, and DR.. Stanley K.
Hornbeck, chief of the Far Eastern Di-
vision of the State Department, it was
believed that present American forces
in China would be inadequate to cover
general evacuation of Americans from
all China. The decision, then, to send
an entire regiment and headquarters
unit of Marines to China is a clear in
timation that the administration fore
sees the possibility of general warfare
between the now undeclared foes.
Contrary to the opinion of some who
advocate withdrawal of all American
armed forces from China In order to
prevent American involvement in the
embroglio, the dispatch of additional
Marines appears as laudable precaution
II one recognizes the thin veneer of
amity which the Chinese masses possess
for foreigners. The anti-foreign move
ment which eliminated in the Boxer
Rebellion may again become reality if
now, as then, the Chinese turn savagely
against the alien whom they regard as
the despoiler of their country. And
hostility which may flare against Japan
might easily find new victims in other
nationalites, Americans included. In
such case the evacuation, with safety,
of Americans deep In the interior of
China might become grave problem.
Any who are inclined to doubt the
readiness of the Chinese to turn against
foreigners within their borders need
only regard the fragrant violation of the
International Settlement in Shanghai by
Chinese bombers. They announced in
advance that they would disregard the
neutrality of that area in order to strike
ct the japanese, and did so.
If the anticipation of an even more
serious situation in China is correct, the
invocation of the neutrality act, with its
embargo on expectation to either bellig-
erent of arms, ammunition and imple-
ments Of war; It's legal ban against travel
by Americans on the commercial Ship
ping of either belligerent and the pro-
hibtion of loans and credits, cannot be
far on. Once this step is taken, the
next question becomes that of the
proclamation by the President of sup
Elementary list of goods-presumably
prime war materials, other than arms
which American ships may not carry to
either belligerent. The final step would
be third proclamation requiring that
all title and interest in goods going from
the United States to belligerents, even
IN foreign ships, be transferred from
Americans before the merchandise leaves
the United States.