Evening star., 1937-09-23
Uncle Sam Saves ''Face.''


keep up his tagging courage, whistles
this homely philosophy: Money lost,
little lost; honor lost, much lost; pluck
lost, ell lost" Out in the Far East,
since time immemorial, they have para
phrased that bit of introspection in
terms something like these: Trade lost.
little lost; life lost, much lost: face
lost all lost" In substance, face" in
the Orient means prestige, or influence
or self-respect--or all three. When
face" is forfeited by ones own act or
under any circumstances the status of
the person, statesman, nation or gov
srnment bereft of it. no matter what
the cause, suffers almost irreparable
loss. East of Suez there is none so Door
as thenceforth to do reverence to the
loser of face"
Uncle Sam has saved face" at
Nanking in the nick of time. The
scuttling of the United States Embassy
on Observation-Disclosures of Ambassador
Johnsons own volition, acting under
general State Department instructions
regarding the safety of our representa-
tlves abroad in times of danger. or
whether specifically ordered from WASH
tngton, is immaterial-was a humilistinr
performance. The action having been
taken virtually at Japanese demand,
there could have been, in Oriental eyes.
no greater possible loss of face" by
great power. American prestige, in a
lightning flash, was gone with the wind
gone, in the estimation of our own
nationals everywhere in the East; gone
in the opinion of the Chinese govern
n1ent and people, and gone, as far as i'm
rerious and imperial Japan was con-
cerned. For the mighty republic of the
golden West permanently to knuckle
under to the would-be overlords of the
East would have been craven beyond
belief.
The American people learn today,
with almost inexpressible qualification,
that they have, after all, been spared
such ignominy. Ambassador johnson,
with the assent, if not the actual "au-
thority" of the State Department, has
returned to the Embassy with his staff.
They will continue to conduct the United
States business there, whether the
japanese air force carries out its pro-
gram of murder over Marking or not.
The Stars and Stripes will float where
they have right to fly, instead of over
an Embassy skulking in safety thirty
miles up the Yangtze in a gunboat. AS
soon as matters of great urgency are
attended to, some explanation of even
the temporary loss of American face"
at Nanklng will be in order Memories
OF these things linger with peoples who,
elephant-like, never forget.
While Tokios aircraft was yesterday
raining death and destruction on Nam
king, spreading havoc and misery on a
scale that staggered the sensibilities. the
United States submitted a formal pro-
test to Japan, branding her action as
"unWarranted and contrary to prin-
ciples of law and of humanity" The
invaders of China are put sternly on
notice that they will be held to strict
accountability for any damage suffered
by Americans as a result of air fright
fulness. Along with this admonition
Japan is informed that the United
States objects both to such leopar-
dizing of the lives of its nation
ais and of non-compatants gener-
ally" Nor can Washington accept the
arrogant suggestion that it's officials
and nationals now residing at Nanking
should withdraw from the areas in
which they are lawfully carrying on
their legitimate activities"
Whether the Japanese in the thick
and fury of their reckless adventure in
China, are any longer amenable to such
purposeful remonstrances is problemati-
cal If they are not, let them know that
Secretary Hulls note but mildly reflects
the rising resentment of the American
people over the Island Empires pre-
tensions and depredations. It's states
men and military leaders err if they
think this country's patience is mex
haustible or that its diplomatic rela-
tions with Japan will indefinitely be
confined to notes of protest.