Evening star., 1939-07-22
Embargo Against japan

Embargo Against japan
Before the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee is resolution intro
duced by Chairman Pittman propos-
ing to embargo the export of essen
tial war materials to Japan. In the
year 1898 the United States supplied
f1fty-seven per cent of all of Japan's
imports Of military sinews, compared
with less than nine per cent obtained
from her axis partners, Germany and
Italy. Conspicuous among our ex-
ports were scrap iron, and scrap steel.
gasoline, aircraft and airplane parts.
In other words, this country is pre-
ponderantly Japan's arsenal, in so
Tar as she Is dependent on foreign
supplies for the conduct of her un-
declared war on China. It is fairly
clear that, deprived of military essen
tials obtained from America, the
islanders campaign would be seri-
ously crippled despite the accessible
ity, in other quarters, OF many of the
commodities now purchased In the
United States.
Undoubtedly there is widespread
popular support for a plan which
seeks to end our indirect participa-
ton in Japan's ruthless effort to SUBJ
ject China to her will, and, Incl
dentally, to establish that new
order in Asia" which would spell the
doom Of western influence in the Far
East, especially commercial enter
prise. With every increase in Jap
anese ascendancy in China, the slam
ming Of the open door, the United
States policy for forty years, becomes
a more imminent probability. So on
realistic economic grounds, as well as
for humanitarian reasons, this coun-
try has every reason to take all steps
at its legal command to permit it to
cease munitioning the despoilers of
China and the would-be autocratic
masters of the Orient. Henry L. Stim-
son more than a year ago made a
powerful plea for such action as the
Pittman resolution recommends.
Besides the embargo proposal, the
Foreign Relations Committee has be-
fore it resolution presented by SEN
ator Vandenberg, asking re-conven-
ing Of the Brussels Conference of
1887, to determine whether the Nine
Power Treaty Of Washington is being
violated by Japan. Meantime Secre-
tary Hull has been asked whether an
embargo would violate our 1911 treaty
OF amity and commerce with Japan,
especially its most characterization
provision.
Anti-Japanese sentiment and le-
galistic barriers apart, this country
will have carefully to think through
all the way through-the implica-
tions inherent in sanctions, such as
an embargo on war essentials. Some
American authorities conversant
with all the imponderables warn
against the advisability of any form
OF sanctions against Japan, unless we
are fully prepared to carry them
through to their ultimate conclusion,
II necessary, which, they say is war.
To apply sanctions, such as an en-
barge, or any other measures of pro-
posed intimidation, and then fail to
carry them through would, OF course,
ruin our prestige and influence and
our diplomacy in the Far East for
another generation at least.
The Star does not subscribe to the
theory that the mere imposition Of
economic sanctions would be regard
ed by Japan as an "act of war" on
the part of the United States. The
weapon Of economic sanctions is be-
ing used right now by Japan in her
efforts to bottle up Chinese trade for
herself, so apparently she does not
consider trade barriers as provoca-
tlves OF war. In any event, the likeli-
hood Of Japan's going to war with
the United States over an embargo or
any other irritant seems to be quite
remote at the present time, since the
Nipponese military strategists al
ready have their hands full in China.
Entirely aside from this considera-
ton, the question of an American
arms embargo against Japan should
be decided dispassionately-not on
the basis of China's welfare, despite
the worlds sympathy for her plight,
but on the logical and practical
grounds of what is best for the
United States. AS President Roose-
velt is reported to have indicated to
legislative leaders, there appears to
be no immediate urgent need for
such a drastic step. Certainly, it is
difficult to see how the best interests
Of this country would be served by
imposition of an embargo at this
time.