Evening star., 1938-07-03
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN,

TT is an unwritten law here that should
one of the high priests who administer
our foreign relations speak bluntly and
frankly, he cannot be quoted without
specific authorization.
To the average man. therefore, the foreign
policy of the United States must ap-
pear to be one of hand-to- mouth; a
policy in close cooperation with that of
the European democracies; policy of
high-sounding words and pious wishes ex-
pressed at length by those responsible for
the conduct of our foreign relations A
superficial analysis of what has been said
and done since August, 1887, would con-
firm this impression.
In fact, however, both President Roose-
welt and Secretary Hull have followed q
straight line based on clear comprehen-
sion of todays events and tomorrow's po-
tentialities.
From the day the Japanese entered the
vast Chinese area, the President and the
Secretary of State realized fully that only
drastic action could stop the powers which
base their policy on force They saw clearly
that Japan was bent on the conquest of
the whole of China and the adjacent terri
tories to complement her grandiose plans !;
that Germany would force the smaller
states east of the Rhine to buy peace by
accepting German political and economic
domination, and that Italy would be urged
to take her share in the Mediterranean.
Need for Firm Action
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hull spoke inter-
mittently but cautiously about this new
situation. In private they discussed the
need of firm action" but were hesitant
to espouse that policy publicly. The isola-
tionists and the pacifists were more vo-
ciferous than ever, and any unrefected
move might spell disaster for the admin
istration. Many members of Congress
were in sympathy with the administra-
tion's point of view regarding the future
OF this country in the event of totalitarian
victory. But these men, too had to reckon
with the vote and with the feelings of their
constituents and advised the White House
and the State Department to go at it
s:ngerly." Mr.. Hull, therefore, undertook
~ Se~A1F>eAsAA ~ PAONC tAioC IIlc 1SOldGlOlllSt
idea, in these times, was as antiquated as
the horse and buggy while the President
occasionally thdndered against the ag-
gressors and the dictators. The state of
anarchy which prevails in every quarter
Of the world enabled the administration
to obtain from Congress large sums for
the Army, the Navy and the Air Force
OF both services. These form our first
line of defense and the principal "diplo-
matte argument" which the administration
would use If events forced it to talk plainly
to the "disturbers of world peace"
A policy Of parallelism with the so-called
democratic states has been adopted; it was
the least offensive policy which under the
circumstances the administration could
undertake. But this does not mean forget
fulness in Washington that the democratic
states have committed unforgivable blum
ders which are in part responsible for the
present tragic world situation.
France and Great Britain were like eau
tious bridge players who played a set game,
overconfident in their superior skill Up to
1896 they held all the aces and the kings
while Germany and Italy held the losing
cards. few queens and jacks, and mighty
few Of them. he Paris and London