The Washington times., 1937-12-15
You May Get Shot On
A Battlefield

I'VE THINK that at this time would all do we'll
to remember that one note led to another on
previous momenous occasion in our history and that
the accumulation of notes finally led into If
we are meditating with Japan, we ought
also to count the beforehand Last time we counted
the cost afterward. We're still counting it.
What would be fighting for would be the right
of American warships and Marines to be absolutely
safe neutrals a battlefield. The Yangtze River
ro.. - H.. is a battlefield with Chinese and
- . Japanese soldiers on both sides
and with fighting ships and fight
ing planes on it and above it. We have treaty right
to safety for our men on this baefied but the real
life fact is that some more of them likely to be hit
if they stay there.
Some of them were hit last Sunday; hit in the heat
of battle by doubt wildly excited and irresponsible
young japanese fers 1t is often the innocent by
stander who gets hit People who go on battlefields-
Red Cross workers. military observers, newspaper
correspondents-know they may be killed. If they
aren't willing to take that risk they should stay off
the battlefield
To fight Japan for the right of Americans to be 1902
safe in Chinese would now cost exped-
tionary force to China Of more than 100000 And
it is doubtful that 100000 could win for us.
The Japs could put 100000 in China by spring
and keep them there living the country long as
Hannibal stayed in Italy (about fifteen years..
The time has gone by when could have fought the
Japs on the Yangtze by arming the Chinese against
them The Chinese are prostrate
Maybe it will seem that we've been stampeded by the
Panay excitement and are talking wild words about
possible 1t has already been pointed out that
Mcko Cbinc Scfo nobody is talking war with
Japan now, but simply that
:" '"' O"'''''' should admonish Japan in
regard to its conduct toward nationals and that it
is not becoming to us to 'scuttle out of China" at
. Japans frown.
Well, that exactly the kind of talk that got us
into the last war; There no more real common sense
in having gunboas sailing up and down the Yangze
with the Japanese and Chinese fighting its banks
than it would be to have our gunboats sailing up and
down the Danube when the next European war breaks
out with view to protecting nationals in the var-
ous fighting countries.
We can sympathize with China; most of US do. We
are sorry II oehg despoeo but a1ter all, II is not
duty to to the of great big slob of
country with six times the population and ten times
the of Japan. If the Chinese don't love China
enough to keep it free, we shouldn't either.
We think American-Japanese showdown is COM
ing sooner or later. But the showdown should take
place in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, not in China
p;ck Our O,yn the Sea of Japan.
And it should be fought between
D"''''S' O"" the American and Japanese navies,
with the American far superior. That would be an
American war; of defense fought to preserve our
independence not of offense fought to preserve
China's independence.
Let's be smart enough this time to pick our own bat
teground and to know what the fight is about
the New YorkD ally News