Evening star., 1938-01-16
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

" lie VOIune OF correspondence from
readers throughout the country
compels this writer to return this
week to the Far Eastern problem
To those who wonder whether the crisis is
over, the answer definitely is no.
The Panay incident, as such, is closed.
But the question of the future of Amer
ica's interests in the Far East remains wide
open.
The Toxic foreign Office explained that
the word mistake reiterated in its final
note to the American Government meant
not that American ships were bombed by
mistake-but that 1t was a grevious mis-
take on the part Of the military authorities
to commit that aggressive act against an
American man-of-war and American YES
sells.
Washington in its desire to do everything
1t could to encourage liberal government
in Japan, chose to accept the apologies at
their face value. The Japanese authori-
ties were confldentially informed, however.
that this is the last time the administra-
ton will use the sponge on such incidents.
Toxic was warned that if the military
again gets out of hand, apologies and
transfers Of officers from one post to an
other will no longer be sufficient Any
further incident will result in the gravest
consequences. How much this impressed
the military in Toxic no one can say.
Chief Aim Achieved.
For the time being, however, their chief
purpose has been achieved. America ac-
cepted lip apology, and the details of that
apology We're never published either in
Japan or in China. The japanese military
control the cable ends. the wireless serv-
ices and the radio facilities in China, and
nave taken good care that nothing but the
actual sinking of the American ships and
the pertunctory regrets expressed by TOXIC
should be broadcast throughout japan and
the Chinese mainland under the control of
the japanese soldiers.
The object of the bombing was obviously
TO make the western nations "lose face"
with the Chinese.
Now the Americans in Shanghai are
are devoting their attention to the British
being left alone, and the japanese military
and the French, against whom incidents
are being created by the japanese high
command. Beating up British police off,
GERS and training guns and machine guns
on the french concession are to cause
further loss of prestige to the western ma
lions. The japanese recognize that these
little games of their soldiers will annov
intensely the Paris and London govern
ments yet they are not sufficiently serious
to call for showdown.
All these incidents and rows are mart of
the great scheme of the totalitarian GOV
ernments to impress the weaker nations
with the idea that the great Western de-
mocracles are through, and that unless
they rush under the protecting wings of
Germany. italy and Japan their lot will
indeed be sad one. The Rumanians have
already taken the hint. Others may fol-
low soon.
Roosevelt Anxiety Great.
PRESIDENT Roosevelt does not conceal his
great concern over the situation. He re-
earos this with perhaps greater anxiety
than the business recession and other do
mestlc problems. He realizes that it is
futile to attempt to achieve a permanent
economic readjustment in the world as
long as nations spend the major part of
their incomes on armaments and while the
relationships are bent on using force of
arms to attain what they think to be
their rights.
He has expressed these thoughts publicly
fN,~vS p,,x to-.
tions he speaks plainly. Something must
be done about it, he says. and the time
for that action may be nearer than we
believe.
During the current session the Congress
will appropriate unprecedented sums for
national defense. Most of the money will
go to the Navy Besides five new battle
ships. costing about 100000, 900 apiece, a
substantial number of fast cruisers. de-
stroyers and submarines will be built as
quickly as the Navy and the private yards
can build them. The fleet stationed in the
Pacific at the present moment will remain
there in full strength.
The onward march of the totalitarian
states has produced still another problem
which must be taken care Of by the Navy,
and that is the Atlantic problem.
While the governments Of South Amer
lea. including the new totalitarian state in
Brazil, are still anxious to maintain the
old relationship with the United States,
they are under severe pressure from Italy
and Germany. Special agents, experienced
in fomenting coups d'etat have been
planted in the principal South American
republics. None Of those states has a navy
adequate to police the high seas and pre-
vent the landing Of "volunteers" who could
come across the ocean in vessels no larger
than 300 to 1000 tons and land their hu-
man cargoes In small, far-away and un-
developed harbors.
Atlantic Fleet Needed.
The administration feels it necessary,
therefore, to create an Atlantic fleet Of
fast destroyers and cruisers, to which
few battleships may be added. This new