Evening star., 1937-10-24
1'FOrces i'm Motion. ="


If studied declarations by responsible
spokesmen still have meaning, mean
what they say, and are not merely Ian
guage used, in the idiom of a cynical
French philosopher, as vehicle for con-
cealment of thought. then Secretary
Hulls indictment at Toronto on Friday
of international lawlessness consti-
tutes statement of policy of the pro-
foundest significance. Stressing the
grim paradox" presented by more re-,
lentlessly cruel war" amid civilizations
moves to higher and higher levels" and
"the march of progress toward material
and cultural advancement" the Secre-
tary of State enunciated this prescient
theory, which history may come to know
as the Hull doctrine:
mo more than a community or
nation can the world today base its
existence in part on order and in part
on chaos, in part on law and in part
on lawlessness And just as, sooner or
later. the outraged conscience of a COM
munity or a nation sets into motion forces
which re-establish order under law, so,
I firmly believe, the outraged conscience
of mankind will set into motion forces
which will create, in the sphere OF IN
ternational relations, unshakeable order
based on law"
Secretary Hull mentioned no names or
places, but, divesting himself OF so
pointed pronouncement on the eve of
the Brussels conference, he unquestion-
ably has primarily in mind 1.-The horror
of war and "the processes of disruption
and ruin" that are convulsing the Far
East. This much safely assumed, the
question arises as to the precise nature
of "the forces" which "the outraged con-
science of mankind" proposes to "set
into motion" for "re-establishing order
under law" in that quarter OF the globe
where it is now f1agrantly douted.
In other words, is Brussels to be the
forum merely of lofty international SEN
timents and platonic apotheoses to peace,
or will the conference determine upon
some course of action more capable OF
curbing japanese aggression in China?
That is the issue. There is no virtue IN
lodging it. It must be faced sooner
or later" as Judge Hull himself suggests.
The moment is approaching when the
powers which oppose Jesse James-lsm On
the highways of the world ought to put
I'D or shut up. If they propose to do
nothing about it. they should say nothing
about it, Humiliation is inescapably the
fate. in international affairs. as in human
relations, of those who bark without the
intention or capacity to bite.
Acceptance of that view does not pre-
clude continuous and earnest effort 10
persuade Japan and China to submit
their conflict to peaceful arbitrament.
That, apparently, is the Alpha ana
Omega of American purpose at BRUSSELS
bleak as the outlook for its success is.
While Secretary Hull was speaking IN
Canada, Mr.. Yakichiro Suna, Counselor
of the Japanese Embassy at washington.
in an address at Cleveland was unblush-
ingly condemning the parley in Belgium
to inevitable futility. ''It is Impossible
for Western nations to be of any benent
to China" he said. 'They could only
make conditions for the Chinese people
worse by interfering with Japan. There
fore, in their own interests and those OF
China, it is to be hoped that they Will
venture upon no such impractical and
misguided crusade"
BY any rational conception rooted IN
realism, is it likely that anything but
forces set into motion" will impress, not
to say, estop Japan actuated by the
philosophy so frankly voiced by Coun-
selor Suma-forces of higher caliber,
velocity and impact, economic or other
wise, than winged words? The hour OF
decision on that score for Secretary Hull's
Outraged conscience of mankind" has
struck.