Evening star., 1937-09-15
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
is AMERICA AFRAID? BY Livingston
Hartley. New York: Prentice Hall,

Inc.
When Mr.. Hartley posed the question
"Is America Afraid?" as the title of his
book, the citizen body of the United
States, not overly versed in matters of
foreign policy, was not especially con-
cerned in seeking a specific answer. Un-
savory things, it is true, had happened
and were still happening in other parts
of the world, wars of aggression that
served to arouse contempt for inglorious
conquerorS but not stimulating sufficient
interest at home to create a demand
for knowledge about the problem that
the most powerful of all nations has
consistently declined to face four square.
The book was published early in the
Summer. Events of the past few weeks
in the Far East have caused the people
of this country to pause and wonder
just how impotent this Government is as
leader among nations. There would
seem to be no doubt that the answer
today to Mr.. Hartleys question is yes"
The truth of the matter is that Amer
lea has no fundamental foreign policy. as
Mr. Hartley sees the situation. 1t dabbles
here and there on occasion and its
spokeSmen fit from one conference to
another with eloquent messages of peace
and good will that turn out to be empty
of meaning when put to the test. The
neutrality act, passed by the recent
Congress, already has proved to be a
worthless scrap of paper so far as it's
enforcement in the present crisis is
concerned. America has Far Eastern
policies which for more than half CEN
tury functioned as a positive force in
maintaining Chinese integrity They are
policies that were placed on a. treaty
basis by the Washington Conference of
1922. Japan has flagrantly delegated
them to the scrap heap in the past few
weeks, and the United States is unable
to do anything about 1t.
The nine-power pact, to which the
United States and Japan are signatories,
guaranteeing territorial integrity to
China was scattered to the winds when
Japan seized Manchuria Encouraged
by the apparent impotence of any and
all agreements, Italy made bloody con-
quest of Ethiopia, and not any nation has
undertaken to put an end to the carnage
In Spain. The United States benignly
sends forth dove of peace from the
right hand while stretching out the left
hand for trade.
When the Great War came to an end
and the United States emerged from
the conflict at the head of the world of
nations, the American people, as is their
wont, patted themselves on the back in
self-sat1sfaction and settled down to
enjoy the honor. What they did not
realize and do not yet comprehend is
That such an honor carries with it
grave responsibility Instead of assum-
ing that responsibility, the Nation has
been content to drift, with no definite
or positive policy calculated to guarantee
the respect of any war-bent leadership
The result is impotence in the present
crisis and no protection against the in
fuences which threaten to disrupt Amer
lean ideals as well as the peace of the
world
what really constitutes foreign policy?
What are the international political and
economic elements which such policy
must recognize and employ as a basis for
the formulation of course of wisdom
IN the conduct of international rela-
tions? These and many other questions
which are more or less Greek to the man
In the street, who does not understand
why the war in China is not a war and
why treaties that are supposedly made
IN good faith prove to be worthless. are
answered in this splendid book by an
author who through experience and
knowledge acquired as an official of the
State Department, is qualified to give
authentic enlightenment to a bewildered
public.
1t Is the aim of Mr. Hartley to present
concept of American foreign policy
IN keeping with the position of power
which the United States holds but does
not now adequately protect. and capable
OF meeting squarely the national REQUIRE
ments which the coming critical years
will demand. 1t is possible that the sub
Ject matter of the book may induce the
fear that it is technical and dry. AS
matter OF fact it Is entertainment plus
all OF the things that statesmen and
laymen, rich men and poor men. scholars
and less learned citizens should add Tn
the store of knowledge they already
possess about a problem of utmost con-
Germ II the future welfare of their own
phenomenal Nation is to be safeguarded
and preserved.
What is Americas position in an in
ternational democracy? BY virtue of its
industrial and financial supremacy it
occupies the keystone position. But of
what value is a keystone without an
arch? Mr. Hartley discusses the matter
fully and concisely. He clearly sets forth
the short-sightednes which has led TO
the present impotency of the United
States in world affairs and by citation
OF lndisputable facts illustrates the need
OF a positive foreign policy He defines
the clash of law and force within nations
ana The same elements at work among
nations. With pungent brevity he re-
views the attitude of this country in the
past and presents for the attention of
thoughtful and anxious citizens those
problems which in the approaching
critical years must be met with some
thing better than the piecemeal policies
OF the postwar era if this Nation is In
win and hold the respect of other gov
ernments or dictators.
international autocracy, which has
swept Europe since the Great War. has
spread into Asia and is seeking to in
nuence American thought is discussed in
chapters which deal with the European
arguments, with the problem of German
lzed Europe and the United States. Soviet
Russia and the United States, the British
Empire and the United States and the
dilemma created by the present status
OF the Philippines in matters of interna
tlonal policy. OF particular importance
and enlightenment are chapters. written
before the immediate invasion of China
on the Far East and on the inadeollacv
or policies that have become negligible
through lack of positive Interpretation.