The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-09-16
(QoII'i'ia2l9 tIS5jiqc(k
National Topics Interpreted "a II14@I1a
by William Bruckart HfalHfK
ressB d C.


newspapers throughout the country
are demanding
Brutal that the President
japan invoke the terms
of the American
Neutrality act with respect to the
war-undeclared though it is-that
is raging on Chinese soil. These
editorial expressions obviously will
have considerable weight and will
convince very great number OF
American citizens that President
Roosevelt ought to invoke the neu-
trality act and, by so doing, pro-
claim that Japan is the aggressor.
That, in simple terms, is what a
presidential announcement of APP
plication of the neutrality act would
mean.
There probably has never been
brutality comparable to the I'M
speakable outrage which Japan is
committing in China; certainly,
never in modern times. 1t is a
stain upon the name of the jap
anese people and the smooth work
ing of the japanese military machine
will never be able to Offset the hos
tility which the subjects of the Ris-
ing Sun are creating by this display
of brutality.
Although the Tokyo government
has yet to say it is fighting war,
the japanese aggression in China is
just as much war as though the
United States and Canada had taken
up arms against each other and had
proclaimed to the world that they
were belligerents. The very fact
that there has been no declaration
of war, however, complexities the
situation as regards the United
States and Great Britain. Unless
these nations, along with some 9TH
ers which have interests in China,
are willing to shoulder the re-
sponsibility that comes when an out
side nation says publicly that two
powers are at war, neither nation
can afford to endanger its neutral
position by saying to the world that
Japan is trying to subjugate portions
of China.
That is exactly what is happening
In spite of the declaration of the
japanese statesmen that their mill
tary machine is only protecting
japanese nationals, the whole at
fair may be treated as pure hypoc-
risy-as a movement by the Jap
anese to gain control of new re-
sources, new land, over which the
teening millions from Japan may
run as the hordes of Chinese are
displaced. The whole thing shows
how long we have been fooled by the
responsiveness of the japanese
statesmen and how brainless our
own statesmen have been through
the last twenty years.
You may ask: What can we do
about it? The answer is exceeding
ly difficult. / have a fear that we
can do nothing because of the in
ternational policies that the United
States pursued during the admins
trations of Presidents Coolidge and
Hoover and those that are continu-
ing under President Roosevelt.
Only once in all of those years did
the American government speak out
firmly concerning the apparent jap
anese plans and on that occasion
the assistance given the United
States by Great Britain and France
amounted to little more than whis-
per.
So now the patience of a great
many people is wearing rather
thin. think also, from what hear
in diplomatic circles, that the Brit
ish lion has begun to bare his teeth
and unsheath his claws. Again, to
what purpose do not know. because
the United States and Great Britain
thus far have discussed no plan for
acting in unison. Certainly, with
out concerted action between them
and including France, little can be
accomplished.
AS the fighting continues on Chi
uese soil and as one disturbing act
after another is
Tough committed by the
Problem, japanese, / mag
inc many persons
are going to inquire why the United
States does not brave world diplo-
macy and invoke the neutrality act.
In that eventuality, there ought to
be a clear understanding of the
various implications and results
that would flow from such an Amer
lean action. In the first instance,
Japan is now virtually sef-sufficient
in the matter of munitions. If we
declare an embargo against ship
ment of war materials to the fight
ing nations, believe it is generally
agreed the action would hurt China
more than it would hurt Japan. 1t
would result in cutting off supplies
which the Chinese sorely need.
Americans are wholly willing to
sell supplies to them because, gen.
orally speaking, it is apparent that
the sympathies of American indi-
viduals are with the Chinese even
though the government officially re-
mains neutral.
Further, if our President declared
that war existed between Japan and
China, doubtless Japan would be
encouraged to declare war on China
formally. In that event the Jap
anese Immediately would establish
a naval blockade of the Chinese
coast. Everyone knows that would
strike a terrific blow at the Chinese
chance of success.
In some quarters in Washington,
one will hear arguments that the
United St a e S