Evening star., 1939-11-23
Borah, vandenberq
Urge New Trade Pact
With Japan
Idohoon Would Approach
From Commercial
Angle Only, He Says
By the Associated Press.

6y tne Associated Press.
Two prominent Republican Sen
ators-Borah of Idaho and Vanden-
berg OF Michigan-urged today that
the United States work for a new
commercial treaty with Japan with
out regard to controversies growing
out of the Sino-Japanese war.
II shall contribute everything I
can toward bringing about a fair
and reasonable treaty between the
United States and Japan to take
the place of the old treaty which
expires January g." said Senator
Borah, senior Republican member
OF the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
Senator Borah made it plain to
reporters that he would approach
the question of new treaty from a
commercial standpoint only. He
added that if any political consid-
erations were to be involved, it
should be up to Japan to suggest
them.
Urges End of Old Treaty.
Senator Vandenberg, who advo-
Gated abrpgation of the old treaty,
said the fUnited States should be
exploring realistically" the possi-
bility of settling its Far Eastern
problems by agreement. He said
he favored doing away with the old
treaty only to unite our hands"
to negotiate new one.
IF no agreement is possible, it
will then be time enough to talk
belligerently," he said in a state
ment. But to permit our treaty
relations with Japan to lapse next
January without an earnest effort
to solve our differences pacifically
is to invite major trouble without
an attempt to avoid it,"
The State Department notified
Japan nearly four months ago that
the United States would abrogate
its 1911 commercial treaty on jan
uary 26. By that time, Congress
is expected to consider a proposal
to embargo American shipments to
Japan.
Although Acting Secretary of
State Sumner Welles said yester-
day that negotiations for a new
treaty had not begun, Senator
Borah said he thought it was high
time that this country made some
move to protect its commercial in
terests.
Il notice" he said, that our trade
with Japan is increasing very de-
cidedly. We are not going to have
so much trade on our hands that
We can safely throw any of it aside
without a very sound reason for
doing So"
Senator Borah said he did not be-
lteve anything could be accom-
plished by refusing to conclude
new commercial treaty with Japan
Just because this country might not
be in sympathy with japanese aims
In China. He said he was undis-
turbed by recent incidents which
brought a statement from Mr..
Welles that this Government in
sists on the right of American mer-
chants to trade freely within the
British and French concessions in
Tientsin.
Mr., Welles indicated plainly that
japanese treatment of American
interests in China will determine
whether this Government can con-
tinue friendly commercial relations
with Japan. He said he made his
statement to clear up confusion
which had developed regarding
Japanese-American relations.
The Welles declaration followed
expressions of hope from japanese
authorities that some new CONNER
c1al understanding could be reached |
before the existing treaty expires.
No War Boom Is Seen.
Meanwhile, the Commerce De-
partment said there was little prob
ability that Japan would experience
war boom as result of the Euro
pean conflict.
James w. Young, director of the |
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce, said some of the reasons
were:
Export industries already are op-
Grating at abnormally low levels
because of restraints IMPOSED dur
Ing the conflict with China.
Serious obstacles are presenting
themselves in the procurement of
essential industrial materials, par
from the British Empire.
Hitherto, large part of the me-
chanical equipment required for in
dustrial expansion has been supplied
by Germany
The situation in the iron and steel
Industry has been rendered uncer-
tain by the indefinite status" of
scrap iron shipments from the
United States and expiration of the
japanese American commercial