Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06

serving as training ships for the mid
shipmen at Annapolis, few cruisers
which have just left the Eastern yards
and are now on their shakedown cruises,
few destroyers in the same category.
These units will join the main fleet at
the next war games and will return to
the West Coast with the bulk of the
ships next spring.
There will always be available in the
Atlantic ships which have just left the
yards but they constitute a makeshift
fleet. The necessity for an independent
powerful Atlantic unit is considered
vital because Washington feels that the
Monroe Doctrine is as obnoxious to the
totalitarian states as the nine power
pact or the open door policy is to the
Japanese. A weak defender Of the Mon
roe Doctrine may encourage the pact
breakers to throw it onto the scrap heap
as they have done every other peace
instrument signed since 1919.
Japan Looms as Rising Power.
Across the Pacific Japan looms as a
rising power. The Toxic militarists have
IchiplCcCo Vic pldll-aSld lOI llS
Asiatics, under Japan's leadership-2O
years ahead of schedule. The European
turmoil which has kept Britain and
France busy has enabled the japanese
to achieve what was thought to be i'm
possible-the conquest of China. The
Tanaka plan outlining a scheme for
Japan with its 100000 people to sub
duo will, TIC I'LL, IL
tants, was considered laughable by West:
ern experts Yet it has happened.
The next step of the japanese will be
the expulsion from Asia of the white
man. either by force or by pressure. The
restlessness which exists today from the
Red Sea to the Yellow Sea, the strife in
Palestine. the effervescence in India and
success of the Japanese in slapping the
white mans face in China.
Asia, despite the 1000 miles Of water
which separate it from the Western
Hemisphere, is our next-door neighbor.
It's total population. heretofore econom-
ically dormant. amounts to close to a
billion souls. Under the leadership of
threatening competitor in the economic
field. Despite the vast quantities of raw
materials which make this country al
most independent of the outside world,
it would be difficult to compete with
manufactured goods produced in Asia
under Japan's leadership on a labor
scale of maximum of Sc month. To
meet tho cnrnnntitiNr Nf
it would be necessary for the United
States to lower the standard of living
OF its working class by almost 1000 per
cent and to reduce production costs to
not much more than the actual cost of
the raw materials.
The japanese expansionist plans. &C
cording to intelligence gathered in WASH
ington, are not confined to the conoue
and organization of China. They cove
French Indo-Ch and the Dutch E9 .
Indies, which possess the only adequa .
oil supply to make the new Japan
Empire first-class industrial country.
U. S. Sends Note to Toxic.
The American Government sent note
to Toxic on October detailing the
numerous breaches of promise perpe-
trated by the Japanese in regard TO
American citizens in China. The i'm
portance of the note, which is an expose
of facts known in this country for a
number of years, lies in its frigid tone
and in the implication that unless the
demands of the United States Govern
ment are met, there will be retaliation
against Japan. That retaliation can
take the form only of economic reprisa e.
Among Western countries such econor .
wars generally end in an agreement
some sort when it is discovered t
their continuance is only harmful to /
concerned. But between We !
country and an Asiatic power it is O. F.,
conceivable that the end of econon /;
strife may be military action.
Hence, the technical advisers of the
President declare that Navy represent
ing at least one and half times the
total strength of the Japanese Navy
must be maintained in the Pacific at all
times.
The picture may change before Con-
gress has received the new national de-
tense expenditure figures. Between now
and next February or March the West
erns powers may see the light of day and
agree that an end must be put to the
present devastating arms race and the
chaotic systems of international trade.
But for the time being there are few
signs that the wind is blowing in that
direction. The administration hopes
that an indication that, if necessary.
this country can lead the race at pace
which will be difficult for others to MAIN
tain. will bring halt. 1t hopes that
when the world hears that the United
States is prepared to have Navy SUI
perior to any in the world and an Air
Force of 10000 to 10000 planes, with
the possibility of increasing both in a
short time, it will be willing to accept
our limitation of arms suggestions. If
it does not, the dance will continue to
the breath taking rhythm of America S
swing music.
(Copyrisht 1889
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