Evening star., 1937-10-08
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Roosevelt and Secretary Hull
are ready to talk about eQuipping the
nine-pOWer treaty with the teeth neces-
sary to give it biting effect on Japan II
that major diplomatic dental operation
Is performed. the acquired molars un-
doubtedly will be for economic grinding
purposes. The country will be well ad-
vised not to rush to the conclusion that
the administration is already prepared
to Join in q boycott of Japan, including
the shutting of Of both her exports and
imports. White House and State De-
partment are moving cautiously in this
field OF positive efforts to preserve
peace" because such a quarantine"
means nothing less than Nippon's
strangulation, with ALI that entails, in
cluding the strong probability that she
would consider 1t cause for war. Amer
leans may therefore rest assured that
the Washington authorities charged
with the grave responsibility of decisions
are going to make haste slowly. They
will look before they leap and be as
certain as they can that the United
States Is truly united behind measures
loaded with international dynamite.
In many respects Mr.. Roosevelt is
patterning after his World War chief,
Woodrow Wilson, in graphing with the
crisis. F. D. r. wishes, just as Wilson
did, to have public opinion with him up
to the hilt before taking irretrievable
steps. If during the next few days, or
even weeks, there's q period OF delay
savoring of stalling or pussyfooting, the
reason will be the Presidents determine
ton to mobilize sentiment for his pro-
gram. It was two years after the Lusi-
tania and Wilson's too proud to fight"
manifesto, before he called upon the
Nation to throW its force without stint"
into the crusade to crush Kaiserism.
After saying "A" at Chicago, it isn't to
be expected that Mr.. Roosevelt will wait
anywhere near that long before saying
"B." No one who knows the Dutch in
him believes that New Dealer No. /
started anything which he isn't prepared
to finish.
II anybody has any doubt about what's
at stake for Japan in the way of a boy
colt, let him read Ambassador Hirosi
Saito's 1885 book on "Japan's Policies
and Purposes" He points out that the
United States buys more Japanese pro-
ducts annually than any other country
in the world, chiefly silk. Practically
the entire export output of the empires
all-vital industry goes to America. In
turn, Japan buys our cotton, being the
heaviest purchaser Of 1t in the world.
In 1884 she took more than Great Brit
ain, France and Germany combined.
Ninety per cent Of Japan's motor
vehicles are American-made. Altogether
she buys more over here than all the
rest of the Far East combined, including
the Philippines. Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Chairman Pittman and former
Secretary OF State Stimson do not ex-
aggerate in suggesting that boycott of
silk imports and an embargo on cotton
exports would sever Japans jugular
vein, and sooner or later make 1t virtu-
ally impossible for her to wage war in
ing hard about all these things in Toxic
this week.
Our authorities view with mixed emo
tions the idea OF holding q nine e-power
conference in Washington-or, rather,
an eight-power affair, for Japans chair
would be vacant. To con-
woke on American soil parley called to
curb and possibly punish the Japanese
would mean this country's assuming
of the whole critical
business, with Secretary Hull as head
man. Japan would almost be sure,
under such circumstancq to place the
principal blame for her lscomhture on
our shouldees, Planty u poople. Hke