Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-11-28
Japan REAL TROUBLE
SPOT FOR AMERICA
State Department Keeps E we
On Pacific While Also
Watching Europe
By PRESTON GROVER


Washington, Nov. 28.-The State
Department is keeping a weather eye
out on Europe but the real trouble
spot for this country just now is
Japan. 1t will be the headline-maker
around the first Of the year
It would be hard to find two ma
tons SO actively engaged in ruffling
each others feelings while at peace
as the United States and Japan.
Naturally, both sides claim to be
right Each claims the other is pur-
suing a course which fails to take
into consideration the realities Of the
situation.
Pro and Con
Japan insists that the United
States, along with all other non
Oriental nations, fails to under
stand" that there is a new order
in the Orient The assertion that
others do not understand the pc
culiar problems of the Orient is a
favorite one Of the Japanese.
On the contrary, the United States
declares it very we'll understands
the situation. Japan, says the United
States, deliberately set out to make
over China in its own image, all in
violation Of international law and in
violation Of treaties Japan had
signed with other countries.
Debate Goes ON
The japanese always insist that
the United States is being used by
the Br fish as a catspaW to protect
British interests in the Orient.
The United States says its interest
is governed by large concept
equality of opportunity once egreed
to by a group of nations cannot be
changed simply by one nation.
Failure to observe that princi-
ple", said AMBASSADOR Grew in a
comprehensive statement to the Jap
anese of the U. S. Position, "breeds
international frictio nand ill-Will.
with consequences injurious to all
countries, including in particular
those countries which fail to OBJ
serve it."
Japan apparently forgot to read
closely enough the part Of that SEN
tence after the last comma. Also it
evidently forgot to read the next
part Of the same paragraph, in which
Grew said:
"Observance of that principle (of
equal opportunity promotes the
opening Of trade channels thereby
making available the markets, the
raw materials and the manufac-
tured products of the community Of
nations on a mutually and recipro-
cally beneficial basis"
That should have told Japan that
such things as embargoes Of raw
materials were being discussed in
the United States. But Japan didn't
take the hint The annoying block
ade Of the British area in Tientsin-
including the public strippings and
searching-Was extended in part to
Americans.
Reprisals came fairly fast. SEN
ator Pittnan, chairman of the for
eign relations committee. who fire.
ouently acts under State Department
guidance, introduced resolution
; calling for an embargo against ia
PAN Hot on its heels came the U.
S. denunciation Of the 28-year-old
trade treaty with Japan.
If the United States had wanted
simply to exert pressure on .Tapan
it could have done SO forcefully and
effectively while negotiating a new
treaty. But lust now it is popular
to lash tho Japanese, SO they got it
in the teeth
The japanese have replied in
kind. Within the past few days a
detailed report was filed with the
State Department of the increasing
restrictions imposed by Japanese on
Yankee operations in China.