Evening star., 1937-03-14
BY FRANK II. HEDGES.

"Noh1O, MRlCn lo.-FOlelSIl Mill
lister Satos speech this week
before the House of Peers. con-
4 ceding China's claim TO equali-
ty provides fresh evidence that the
Hayashi government is determined
upon a reorientation OF the foreign
policy of the japanese Empire.
There is to be minimizing, per-
haps even total discarding of mill
tary dictation of japanese diplomacy
primarily from the military stand
point, and this despite the fact that
Premier Hayashi is himself a retired
army general. In its place is to be
substituted what the japanese press
has already christened "Hayashi eco
nomic diplomacy"
II PREMIER Hayashi is strong enough
to prevail against views of the ex-
tremist element in the army, and If
he and those working with him are
able to put into effect this new vision
Of Japan's relations with other powers,
1t means that the immediate future
will see Japan shaping its diplomatic
policy on the basis of promoting
peaceful and friendly relations with
other nations, including Soviet Rus
sia and the Republic of China, in
stead Of from the standpoint that war
is rapidly approaching.
For more than year the political
party leaders have been demanding
the establishment of fundamental
foreign policy" after which the needs
OF the army and the navy for in
creased ornaments would be con-
sidered. What they really meant, but
dared not say openly because of the
strong military influence in Japan,
was the simple question: Us Japan
preparing to wage war? If so, then
the demands Of the defense services
Tor enormous appropriations and for
other changes in government are
justified. If not, then these demands
are exorbitant and should not be met"
The answer now made by Premier
Hayashi and Foreign Minister Sato is
that Japan wants peace and is not en-
barking upon program of military
conquest. Consequently, they are re-
shaping the empires foreign policy to
this end.
Blunders of Past Needed.
There is general recognition through
out the nation that the blundering for
eign policy of the last half dozen years
is one OF the chief causes for the un-
satisfactory position in which Japan
finds itself today, both in the society
OF nations and in internal economic
conditions. The tremendous cost of
the Manchurian and China policies,
predicated on the use of armed force
or the threat thereof, have upset the
economic equilibrium of the general
mass OF Japanese. The result is that
there Is grave discomfort with the way
in which the army has been debating
foreign policy.
The erection OF trade barriers
against japanese goods in nation after
nation threatens not only to curb the
continued expansion of the vitally es-
sential export trade Of the empire, but
even to put 1t into reverse. This ex-
port trade has become the economic
lifeline of the nation, fully as i'm
portant as the military lifeline" which
the army is so fond Of saying lies in
Manchukuo. Premier Hayashi's "eco-
nomic diplomacy" therefore, will be
designed to foster and encourage the
export trade, to come to working
agreements with those nations antago-
nistic toward Japanese commodities.
The aggressive attitude adopted by
Japan In dealing with foreign powers
during recent years has succeeded in
successful. isolating the empire from
the rest Of the world. and Japan is now
conscious of this fact. It is likewise
aware that this blundering diplomacy
is attributable to the interference Of
the war ONCE in diplomatic affairs,
and it is demanding that such inter-
ference cease.
Two-Faced Diplomacy Hit.
Members of the Diet have accused
their own government Of dual diplo-
macy"-meaning that the war Office
acts independently in foreign affairs
Of secret diplomacy" and of leading
the nation astray. They especially re-
sented the signing Of the anti-comin-
tern agreement with the Hitler gov
ernment in Berlin on November Is
last. The people felt that they had
seen betrayed by their government.
DR.. Etsujiro Uyehara of the Sci
yukai party, speaking in the House
Of Representatives., declared: 'It was
impossible 10 know from sources at