The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10

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Washington is the war situation in
the Far East. While official utter
ances are guarded, and every pos
sible effort is being made to pre-
vent the development of "war
scare the feeling increases that the
United States will escape being
dragged into the Japan China i'm
broglio only by vigorous show of
determination to fight, if provoked.
There is less present danger to
Americas peace in the European
situation, but there's is enough of a
latent threat in the possibility of
another general European war to
make diplomats and military men
apprehensive. The realization that
the ''peace-at-any price" talk which
has been prevalent in some official
circles has now created belief
among the more truculent nations
that Uncles Sans toes can be trod
upon with impunity is in large
measure responsible for the in
crease in our military program al
ready adopted by the House of Rep
resentatives, and for the Presidents
proposal for much larger Navy.
Domestic Talk for Foreign Wars
The Presidents message, it is held
here, was intended for Tokyo to
read as well as for this country.
Coming as it did after the face-slap-
ping of an American diplomat,
John M. Allison, by japanese SOL
dier, it made deep impression.
Mr.. Allison was struck while in
pursuit of his duties in Marking,
China, where he is in charge of the
American Embassy. The incident
followed closely upon the delivery
to the japanese Government of
note from our State Department
protesting against repeated outrag-
es upon American in China, and
demanding the fulfilment of the
Japanese promises made after the
sinking of the "Panay".
The Presidents armament mes
sage stressed the point that 1--WE
cannot assume that our defense
would be limited to one ocean and
one coast and that the other coast
would certainly be safe" His pro-
posal for a 20 per cent increase in
the United States Navy would give
America the worlds mightiest bat
tle-feet. Considerable concern has
been expressed here over the recent
disclosure that since the disarma-
rlent conference of 1922 Japan has
built 217 fighting ships, $4,000 tons,
to our 1856, 100000 ton, and is now
!! :;ld;ng 3,000-ton battleships with
13-;nch guns, as wei as Substituting
is :->erchant marine which would
ada zoo effective ships in time of
war.
R'r Navy-NOt So Big Army
Tie propo tomato increase in the
Ar~v strength urged by the Presi-
dert lgoGld not be so great. If his
pros, IN is carried out we will be
the foremost sea-power of the
wo ! ahead of Great Britain, but
only ninth in the size Of our stand
ing army and twentieth in the num-
Der of men in our armed reserves.
There is no thought in Washing
ton that the Strengthening of our
ornaments is anything but peace
move-a more effective move for
the maintenance of peace, most OBJ
servers hold, than any rigid pro-
gram of neutrality can be. AS the
President point out, cit is an omi-
nous fact that at least one-fourth
of the worlds population is engaged
in merciless devastating conflict
:. that ornaments increase today
at an unprecedented and alarming
rate =. we are compelled to think
of our national safety"
South Defends Estates Rights"
The House had already passed the
Yinson bill carrying a $50 million
appropriation for the Navy, includ-
ing two 40,000-ton battleships, be-
fore the Presidents message was
received. It had also passed the
Post Office appropriation bill, carry
ing billion and half. Those two
measures were held up in the legis-
lative jam caused by the anti-lynch-
ing bill filibuster in the Senate.
Nothing quite like this four
weeks debate has been witnessed
in Congress since the filibuster
against the Force" bill in Presi-
dent Arthur's administration, more
than so years ago. Then as now
the fight was led by Southern Sen
ators against the invasion rights.
The proposal to permit the Federal
Government to send troops into the
states to supervise elections to Fed
eraI offices was sponsored in 1888
by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of
Massachusetts,, whose grandson and
namesake now occupies his grand
- - Ian