Evening star., 1937-12-27
TOkio's Smiles.

IOkiOs Smiles.
BY FAR the most striking comment
that can be made on the United States
acceptance of Japan's apology for the
Panay outrage is the Associated Press
report that the entire staff of the Toxic
foreign Office was "wreathed in smiles"
when Ambassador Grew delivered the
American note indicating that the Incl
dent is practically closed In addition
to the smiles, we are told that Foreign
Minister Hirota and his aides gave other
indications OF their apparently great
relief"
Both their risibilities and their relief
are comprehensive. 1t is a wonder the
staf did not burst out in ribald laughter,
Or at least in ecstatic banzais. For 1t
was eyewitness to as signal 4 triumph
for Japan as ever was won by her war
riors on land, at sea or in the air. From
the standpoint of statecraft, as well, it
will undoubtedly rate as supreme
achievement, for Western diplomacy has
seldom emerged from a conflict In the
Orient minus so many of its pin-feathers
or so much OF it's face"
State Department and Toxic foreign
incident as closed, but 1t is more than
problematical whether the American
people will so consider it, Many of them
will feel, on the contrary, that the bland
acceptance of Japan's Excuse me,
please for as grave an affront as ever
was offered the United States flag
may be destined to be not the end, but
only the beginning, of our ignominy and
the fiouting of our rights in the Far East.
Amid the Nations justified qualification
that war has been avoided, let 1t ponder
over the price at which friendly rela-
tions with Japan, temporarily at least,
have been preserved. She has Cd ig-
nored President Roosevelts request"
for some form of personal satisfaction
from Emperor Hirohito She has (O
promised certain steps to prevent future
interference with rights and interests of
the United States, but conveys no inkling
Of the specific methods by which these
assurances will be fulfilled. She 60
pledges punishment Of those respon-
sible for the Panay of1ense, but with
holds the nature Of the proposed chas-
tisement.
Presumably the last-named two omis-
sions In Japan's regrets, explanations
and guarantees" will continue to en-
gage our eagle-eyed diplomacy's atten-
ton. But enough water is now over
the Yangtze dams to make it disconcert-
ingly and humiliatingly apparent that
Western prestige has suffered severe,
II not an irretrievable, blow. One Of
the cardinal Japanese objectives, second
only to the military overthrow Of China
is to convince her that she can hope for
no protection from Occidental powers.
China has now been shown that the
greatest two Of these powers even hesi-
tate to protect themselves Within q
period Of ninety days Japan proved
to the Chinese that 4 British Ambassa-
dor can be attacked and q United States
gunboat sunk, with loss Of life, without
graver consequences than diplomatic
wrist-slapping. Only those who know
the Orient can fully appreciate what this
means-now and for the future. Japan
knows She may be relied upon to ex-
plot that discovery to the uttermost,
with inevitable damage to Western
craftsmanship. Western trade and every
thing else Western that henceforth ven-
lures into Japan-dominated Asia.
President Roosevelt and Secretary Hull
have earned the country's gratitude for
exhibiting patience and restraint under
unprecedentedly provocative circum-
stances. Whether their readiness to call
quits over the Panay will prove wise for
the United States In the long haul, time
alone can tell. Everything depends on
the reliability of Japans promises, which
customarily are honored in the breach
rather than in the observance.