The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-17

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Whether Mr.. Hull's note &C
known. of course. for some time.
But il is generally agreed that
these are his targets:
I Ito keep Japan guessing
and thereby strengthen the
American position in the Far
East. Nobody, least of all ia
pan, can guess what attitude the
United States will take toward
an embargo against Japan at the
end of the six months period re-
quired before the treaty is re-
pealed. Mr.. Hull has long tried
to keep other nations guessing
about American policy, because
it's always an advantage in in
ternational poker to keep the
other players in the dark about
your hand.
ITO observe strictly interna-
tional law and thereby accent, by
contrast, the inference that Japan
is among those outlaw aggressor
nations the United States has so
often condemned in recent years.
Japan's aggression in China, for
instance, is condemned as a vio-
lation of the nine-power treaty
guaranteeing the integrity of
China. 4
: 3.--By using the word "abro-
gate, and by adopting a mild
tone, to take a step from which
it will always be possible to re-
cede without losing prestige, or
without inviting Japan officially
to charge that we are using bluff
and unfair economic pressure.
Abrogation, in law, is an in
offensive method of repeal. If the
state department had renowned
the treaty, that would have i'm
piled we were definitely on the
verge of breaking off commercial
relations with Japan, an un-
friendly act within range of war.
Bolsters British
AT the same time, to pre-
vent Japan from taking it for
granted that the United States
will not retaliate for the abuse of
Americans in the Far East, and
for Japan's pressure against the
open door in China. Rather, she
might expect an embargo against
shipment from the United States
of materials that help Japan car
ry on her abuse and pressure
Some authorities estimate that
the United States is now supply
ing SIS percent of the materials
essential to Japanese military
forces in China.
5.-As a timely move, to
strengthen the hands of the
French, British and Russian dip
lomats, who are supposed to be
close to a military alliance against
the axis powers, which Japan has
so definitely joined.
6.-To bolster Great Britain's
mission in Tokyo negotiating q
new Anglo-Japanese formula in
China, where both have invest
ments close to $1,000, 100000. The
action came just after the British
had suffered an initial defeat in
the negotiations by recognizing
in effect that Japan has special
status in China.
ITO keep down any charges
of British influence in American
foreign policy. The American alb
rogation notice was clearly not
served in concert with the Brit
ish. If it had been, the Ameri-
can isolationsists, led by Senators
William E. Borah and Hiram
Johnson, would have been free to
open up another blast against
playing the British game in the
Far East. As it stands, the Brit
ish were resentful toward our
lone-handed play, claiming they
should have been told what we
were planning to do.
8.-On the domestic front, to
slap on the wrist the senatorial
bloc of conservative Democrats,
isolationists and Republicans
who blocked President Roose-
velt's drive to revise the neutral
ity law, and unite the Presidents
hands in ticklish foreign situa-
tons. AT present the law pro-
vides embargoes against ship
ments of arms and ammunitions
to warning nations. The admin
istration contends this is more
likely to get us into war than
keep US out. The abrogation no.
tice is the Presidents way of ex-
ercising a right conferred on the
President by the constitution,
completely independent of the
Senate.
Both Parties Support Il
8. by taking the initiative
against Japan, the Administra-
ton also clearly shows it is try
ing to beat the Republicans to
the punch in 1910. assuming that
anti-Japanese sentiment will be
running at full tide in this coun-
try during the presidential cam
paign. The Democratic orators
viii be able to say that the Presi-
dort hiryazolf acted ~ raan17i~e