Evening star., 1937-08-30
Your Lead, Geneva.

The audacity with which France and
Britain are limiting that the lead in halt
ing Japan is up to the United States in
dicates a belief that America had not
learned the lesson Sir John Simon
taught in 1882.
France, balancing herself pretty we'll
on the fence, purposes to suggest to the
League Council next month that it act
parallel to the United States in any en-
deavor to restore peace to the Far East.
Likewise, Britain, with the exception of
when her Ambassador was shot from
Japanese planes last Thursday, has re-
Trained from any pointed remarks
about the justice of Japan's cause and
the threat it presents to her in the Far
East, although she did put forward a
peace plan as matter of form.
On the other hand, Secretary of State
Hull last Monday enunciated a policy
for the United States in the Far East
which, although issued to the press as
affecting all Far Eastern powers, was
clearly aimed at Japan and the qualifi-
cations with which she approved the
Hull credo of international relations
July l6. 1t will be recalled that in ex-
pressing her adherence to the principles
Of peace therein stated Japan declared
the objectives of those principles will
only be attained, in their application to
the Far Eastern situation, by full rec
ognition and practical consideration of
the actual particular circumstances of
that region In other words, principles
OF peace are secondary to her special
aims and purposes.
Secretary Hull's statement may be
deemed an answer to this implied ex-
emption from his policy. The condi-
tions which prevail in that area (the
Far EasD are intimately connected with"
he insisted, "and have direct relation
ship to the general principles of policy
to which attention was called in the
statement of July 16. We con-
slider applicable throughout the world,
In the Pacific area as elsewhere, the prin-
ciples set forth" in that statement.
That the Far Eastern crisis is not ex-
clusively the concern Of the United
States also was stressed in strong bid
for support Of other interested powers.
"At Shanghai the Secretary said
there exists multiplicity OF rights and
interests which are Of inevitable con-
Germ to many countries, including the
United States" and adds: when there
unfortunately arises in any part of the
world the threat or the existence of
serious hostilities the matter is of con-
Germ to all nations He topped it off
with a definite plea for joint action:
"(Ihis Government) does believe in in
ternational cooperation for the pur-
pose OF seeking through pacific methods
the achievement of those objectives set
forth in the statement of July 16"
Summarized, then, the attitude of Sec
retary Hull is that the Far Eastern
crisis brings to issue the principles stated
July 16, the most pertinent parts of
which were: "We advocate national and
international restraint. We advocate
abstinence by all nations from use OF
force in pursuit of policy and from in
terference in the internal affairs of
other nations. We advocate adjustment
OF problems in international relations
by processes of peaceful negotiation and
agreement. We advocate faithful OBJ
servance of international agreements.
We believe in respect by all
nations for the rights of others and per-
formance by all nations of established
obligations"
He believes some steps are necessary
to save the interests of Occidental ma
lions in the Orient, but he clearly in
sists upon that action being a united
front OF the powers interested.
II there Is to be international CO.
operation against Japan's aggression in
China 1t must be united front and not
an American front, as happened in 1882.
In spite OF China's need for protector
and the desirability of penalties against
aggressors in order to preserve peace in
the long run, the United States must not
permit itself to be made the tool for
other powers which are reluctant to act
affrmatively and forcefully. Permanent
peace is just as much in their interest
as 1t is In ours.
Geneva is the proper place for the
f1rst step to be taken. Let American
action follow rather than lead that of
the League.