The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-12

In private conversations with American diplomats, the British always emphasized their economic stake in the Far East as one req son they could not get embroiled in war in Europe. They had to keep the fleet free to protect the stake in Asia.
 This was one thing Prime Min ister Chamberlain discussed with Ambassador Joe Kennedy before Munich. He wanted to know what help he could get from the U. s. fleet against Japan in case the British fleet tangled with Hit Ter in the North Sea.
 But since the nose-dive of British prestige after Munich, it looks as If there soon would be no Empire to protect East of Suez.
 The new Japanese policy of "Asia for Asiatics" is not a slogan to cause the British to throw their hats in the air. It already has done damage in the British Malays, in Burma, and is seeping Hindus, already restive under Bri- tish rule.
 In other words, it looks as If the loss of British prestige at Munich was far worse than If the British had fought 1t out with Hitler.
 Anti-American
 Most ironic aspect of the Jap anese onrush in Asia is that 1t was made possible largely be- cause of the double-cross handed to the USA by Sir John Simon with the approval of the British government.
 When the Japanese pushed their first conquistadorial feeler into Manchuria in 1881, it was Sir John, then foreign minister, who instructed his ambassador to in- form Tokyo that the Anglo American notes of protest meant nothing, that the British fully sympathized with the aims of Nip pon's army.
 Secretary of State Stimson at that time had the League of Na- tionS, then a potent body, popped up to go to town against the Japanese. But the British figured they could sell more goods to Manchuria stabilized by Japanese bayonets.
 After the conquest, of course, the Japanese fr0ze out British business.
 NOTE-For years, a powerful Tory bloc within Britain has urged that Britain's future lay with Japan, not the USA. This went so far that certain London clubs. crusty with tradition, admitted Japanese, not Americans.
 Shedding British Lion
 A quick look around the world today indicates that in certain vital areas, the British lion is shedding a lot of hair.
 GIBRALTAR-Its one-time com- manding position over the en- trance to the Western Mediter- ranean is now nullified by Italian occupation of the Balearic Isles, together with German-Italian ar- tillery in the hills of adjacent h. surgent Spain.
 SUEZ-This vital entrance to the Eastern Mediterranean is now jeopardized by hostile armies in nearby Arabia, plus a growing pro-Italian movement among young Egyptians, plus Mussolini's fortifeid islands, in the Red Sea, which could easily disrupt British communications.
 It is an unpleasant fact, but in war time, British shipping to Australia and India would have to sail via South Africa.
 PALESTINE today is an armed camp, with Italian propaganda and weapons keeping it that way. British hostilities against the Arabs have turned Moslem popu- lations against the British in other parts of the Empire, and Musso- lini knows this.
 The Anglo-Italian pact is one means of buying off Il Duce, and is the chief reason Chamberlain is so hell-bent on ratifying the treaty.
 SOUTHWEST AFRICA, one a German colony, is urging plebis- cite for return to Berlin. It prob ~-A -~v~a ~~~~~~~