Evening star., 1939-12-24

foresee measures against American
shipping seeking to put into Chinese
ports and against shipments of
American goods to China.
Reprisals tend to provoke re-
prisals and counter-measures may
have to be taken by the United
States.
Some other observers say this is q
risk that would have to be taken.
They believe the time has come
and was never more opportune-to
adopt stern procedure against Japan
to prevent her from welding the Far
East into her empire by Incorporate
ing Manchuria, China, the Dutch
East Indies, British Mayala and the
Philippines.
Japan, at the opening of the Eu-
ropean war, has lost the strong po-
sition she occupied at the beginning
Of the World War, they argue. In
1914 Japan was allied with Britain
and Russia and had an easy time
taking over the German possessions
in China and islands in the Far East.
Today, her semi ally, Germany, has
traded favors with Russia, which is
in strategic location for submarine
or air attacks on Japan. She is at
odds with Britain and France. She
IS isolated automatically, as two
and-a-half years of war in China
have materially diminished her re-
sources. At no other conjecture,
they declare, might United States
action prove so effective.
Two-PrOnged Argument.
But you quickly find here an en-
phatic two-pronged argument in
reply. Opponents of action say
there is no proof that Japan could
make herself the lord of the East.
They point to the stubborn resist
ance Of the Chinese and say that
before Japan could absorb China,
China would have absorbed Japan.
And they also argue that even if
there is good reason to believe ia
pan could achieve her ambitions
Uncle Sam is not called upon to
enact the role of policeman in the
Far East.
Some who are willing to go along
with the senatorial embargo resolu-
tions want to make them contingent
upon an agreement to be reached
with Britain and the Netherlands
that similar embargoes would be i'm
posed by them. Otherwise, they
contend, Japan might turn to them
for some Of the supplies she now
obtains from the United States.
They recall the ineffectiveness of
sanctions against Italy because of
the non-participation of some ma
tions. And if other nations join in
the embargo they would have a
stake in any war that might fol-
low it.
All signs point to a possibly de-
cisive attitude toward Japan by the
administration. Among them we
have the straight-from- the horses
mouth speech by Ambassador Grew
on returning to Toxic after talking
with President Roosevelt and Secre-
tary Hull; the blunt statements by
Mr.. Hull and Undersecretary Welles
recently on American rights in
China: the refusal of the admins
tration to follow the lead of Brit
ain and France in reducing our
armed forces in China: the increase
of our naval strength in the Far
East; our determined rejection of
Japan's claim to a new order in
East Asia; the rapidity with which
the administration moved to abro-
gate the commercial treaty with ia
pan when it developed the treaty
was an obstacle to an embargo; the
adamant disinclination of the ad-
ministration to initiate converse
tions with Toxic for a new treaty.
Although the European war is
likely to provide US with many prob
lens, some well-informed officials
here believe the first half of 1910
| will confront us with more nu-
merous and perilous problems in the