Evening star., 1938-01-02
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

TIME Panay incident is closed There
was jubilation in Toxic, Rome and
Berlin when this news was re-
ceived. Although offering only a
general guarantee, the Japanese govern
ment has taken certain specific and definite
steps to insure against infringement of or
unWarranted interference with the rights
and interests of the United States and
other third powers and is thus en-
deavorng to absolutely preclude all pos
sibility of the recurrence of incidents of
similar character" and the United States
Government has decided to accept this
vague promise as satisfactory
Once more the jungle law has triumphed
The forms of international law, however,
have been preserved by the japanese
apology and payment of indemnity. But
because there was danger of conflict in
obtaining actual guarantees the word of a
government which has made habit OF
breaking its promises whenever the lin
terests of state" demanded it was accepted
at its face value.
The Emperor of Japan did not reply to
President RooseVelts indirect communica-
.tion of December IA. The army-that all
powerful branch of the government-gave
no positive pledge. Quite the contrary; it
forced the foreign office to reiterate the as
sertion that the bombing of the Panay was
mistake, despite the overwhelming proofs
to the contrary. Still, the American Gov
ernment decided that it has obtained all
the satisfaction the Japanese government
could give.
Communications received from Toxic
Implied that it would be disastrous to in
sist on water-tight guarantees that such
outrages would not occur again and that
the lives and property of the Americans in
China would be rigidly protected WASH
tngton had decided earlier that only a
pledge from the Emperor could protect our
interests in the Far East
Blockade Didn't Worry.
The japanese foreign Office pleaded with
Ambassador Grew to ask the administra-
ton not to be insistent on that point.
Otherwise the army would make clean
sweep OF whatever was left of liberalism in
Japan and face the dire consequences. A
blockade of Japan did not particularly
worry the military. They would have
answered it by attacking the blockading
vessels. and they know that neither the ad-
ministration nor the people of the United
States were willing to face such an issue.
The officials of the State Department
hold confidently to the belief that LIBERAL
Ism cannot die; that in the dictatorial
states it is merely obscured, but that the
cause OF liberalism, even in Japan, may
some day get its chance and destroy the
military clique.
Thus President Roosevelt and his din
lomatic advisers Norman H. Davis. who is
called in on every important international
issue, was conspicuous for his absence)
decided to accept the crumbs of contrition
offered by Emperor Hirohito's government.
One Washington diplomat remarked in
that connection After all, more stringent
demands would not have revived those
who died in the Panay."
1t is an open secret in Washington that
the President and his Secretary OF State
were by no means satisfied with the jana
nese answer of December a. Following the
example of other leaders of powerful
democratic states, Mr.. Roosevelt believed
that veiled threats through inspired articles
in the press and dramatic routine" orders
to naval units (such as the dispatch of a
destroyer division from San Diego to San
Pedro) would scare the japanese out of
their wits. But the Japanese-like the
Italians and the Germans-refused to be
moved
Attack Premeditated.
Actually only government looking for
trouble could have rejected the formal
amends offered by Japan. She sent un-
restricted apologies; offered to pay what
ever indemnity was necessary for the loss
OF life and property, and disciplined the
officers responsible, directly or indirectly
Tor the outrage of December II.
Furthermore the Toxic foreign Office did
not even wait for formal representations
from the United States. 1t offered to make
the necessary redress as soon as the news
Of the outrage was officially known in Toxic.
But the administration in Washington
made it clear that these formal APOLOGIES
for particular incident were not sufficient
It pointed out that the attack was pre-
meditated and that was not one of those
inevitable mistakes which occur when two
nations are at war and vessels or citizens of
third power happen to find themselves
between the crossfire of battling armies.
The contention of the American Govern
ment was fully borne out by the findings
OF the board of inquiry ordered by Admiral
Yarnell, the commander of the American
naval forces in the Far East
Until Saturday afternoon, December 25,
the State Department was quite determined
to obtain positive guarantees that there
would be no similar incidents It wanted
satisfaction on the fundamentals, not on
the details of the problem: The position
Of the Americans in the Far East in the
face Of Japan's invasion of China.
Foaming and Fuming.
And the Japanese note of December "a
did not even touch on these fundamentals.
Quite the contrary. In his reply to the
sAmerican Government, Foreign Minister
S3irofo knS <t.n 81