Evening star., 1937-12-19
Policy on Far. East Known,
Although i. S. Misses Parley
Britain and France Realize Gravity of Pacific
Situation and Need for Cowne
DictatOrs
DlctatOrS.

doubt he will demand that the Monroe
Doctrine be invoked. In that eventuality.
this country cannot refuse its support,
under present obligations. The United
States Navy will then be called upon to do
the police work which the Brazilians can
not do for themselves This would mean
the transfer of large portion of the
United States feet from its present base,
which covers the West Coast of the South
ern Atlantic. The problem from the point
OF view OF naval strategy is difficult one.
AT the present moment We have enough
units In the Pacific to protect the West
Coast against any conceivable Invasion.
But II half the feet has to 20 thousands
OF miles TO the south, multitude Of wor-
ries will arise
Assuming that the present triple al
hance-Germany, Italy and Japan-is
maintained, it is considered as a strong
possibility by experts that Japan at the
bldolng OF either Of her allies will endeavor
to make demonstration in the Pacific.
The uneaslness in the United States under
such circumstances can readily be UNDER
Stood
Consequently, as long as the relationships
step from victory to victory; as long as
other countries show their willingness to
adopt that form Of government and thus
threaten the Western Hemisphere, our Navy
Will be compelled to demand a building
program which eventually will attain fan
tastic figures. The six or seven hundred
million dollars appropriated this year will
be Just drop in the bucket.
In the Far East the danger of Japan's
growing power is not minimized by the
administration. Within few years after
the sublugation of China. Japanese goods
are expected to replace manufactured prod
ucts OF the Western industrial countries
throughout the world. The standard of
living in the East is so low that Western
manufacturers will not be able to compete
with the japanese, regardless of how high
the new tariff walls may be built. 81
IT the administration could speak its
thoughts, therefore, it would say that the
cheapest way out would be blockade of
Japan with view to forcing Toxic to
abandon China completely
Could Bottle Up Ships. .
The word, blockade sounds terrifying
to the layman. It may mean war. The
experts in Washington and with the feet,
however, take less dramatic view Of the
situation. Provided that the British gov
ernment gives us the unrestricted use of
the Singapore and Hong Kong naval bases.
there would be little difficulty In closing
the Straits of Malacca and the Panama
Canal. The commercial feet, which is the
life nerve OF Japan, would then be bottled
up. Under the protecting guns of Singa-
pore fleet could easily clear the seas of
Japanese merchantmen without much risk
OF Japanese naval attack. It would be up
to the Japanese to leave their bases to give
battle to superior force And under
those circumstances, without undue op-
timism, our naval experts have no doubt
as to the issue.
It would of course, involve risk, but a
much smaller risk now than or 10 wears
hence-maybe less. None of our experts
however, is willing to suggest such an ad-
venture without the full cooperation of
the British fleet. Not that such fleet Is
necessary from the naval point of view.
But the administration is anxious to avoid
any conceivable political trick
A successful coercion of Japan to
abandon the fruits of her aggression would
mean the first serious defeat of the die
tatorships. 1t would break the link and
might give some food for thought to
Japan's European allies.
Mr.. Davis was not in London to present
these thoughts. Nevertheless, they are
known to the British and the French GOV
ernments. These same plans fill the minds
OF many OF our leaders, who await favor
able moment to announce them to the
American people.
(copyrisht, 1877