The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-05-01
THE
WASHINGTON
SCENE
Federated Press)
BY HENRY ION

Bright and early on the morning of
April %, Rear Admiral j. K Taussig
former chief of staff of the fleet and
now commander of the fifth naval dis
trict, strobe into room PIP of the SEN
ate office building.
chair, pulled statement from his
pocket and began to read. When he
finished there was dead silence in the
room. Members of the senate naval
affairs committee who listened to his
statement were too stunned to speak.
Taussig's statement created SEN
sation because he declared:
1. If we are to remain at peace it
! is essential that we be strong enough
to make Japan afraid of us.
| 2. In order to be strong we must
continue to maintain a five to three
ratio of superiority over the Japanese
fleet, build an impregnable base in
the Philippines, and fortify Guam
8. The only way to maintain the
five to three ratio is to continue build
ing battleships which should be big
ger and better than any which Japan
may be building.
4. An agreement with Great Britain,
France and Holland to insure cooper
alton in the maintenance of the status
quo in the Pacific is necessary.
The tension eased when Sen. Hiram
Johnson (R., Calif) tentatively sug
gested that this program seemed
rather ambitious. Taussig replied,
''I'm just trying to keep us out of
peace, Senator" There was roar
of laughter and the admiral quickly
corrected himself. It's war he wants
to keep us out of.
Taussig explained that his program
was based on the personal belief that
Japan and the U. S. were headed for
war. The Japanese are that kind of
people, he said, and want to dominate
the earth.
"In the far east" he contended, "a
situation has arisen which definitely
threatens our national interests. The
independence of the Chinese nation is
in imminent danger due to the warlike
actions of Japan.
"a stable, independent China is the
greatest factor for peace in the far
east. We have signed treaties
guaranteeing the integrity of China"
There was no doubt in the minds
of the committee that Taussig favored
the $655,OO0,OOO naval expansion bill
under consideration by the committee.
II do not see how we can escape being
forced into eventual war by the pres
emit trend of events" he declared.
Taussig's thesis was based on the
assumption that American invest
ments in China constitute national
interest" sufficiently strong to war
-ant fight and on the added assump
lion that once the Japanese took the
Philippines they could gradually creep
Up on Hawaii and San Francisco.
Some pertinent questions occurred
% those who heard Taussig, questions
hat were not asked.
If, some thought, the maintenance
If free and independent China is
10 vital to the U. S., why does the
j. S. still supply Japan with over
,0To of her war materials?
When the war between Japan and
China began American plane manu-
acturers shipped hundreds of planes
o Japan. Later they agreed to
moral embargo" asked by the state
department..
Oil, scrap iron and machinery con-
inued to flow to Japan and her war
machine still moves on supplies pur-
hased in the U. S. How is this con-
istent with a free and Independent
,hina?
Taussig suggested cooperation be-
ween Great Britain, France and Hol-
and to keep the Japanese out of the
butch East Indies. When reminded
rant any help in protecting the Dutch
last indies, Taussig said he didn't
elieve it.
Taussig was not reminded that on
farch %, British ambassador to ia
an Sir Robt. Craigie told a gathering
/ Toyko that British and Japanese
were ultimately striving for the same
lasting peace and
lie preservation of our institutions
ON extraneous and subversive in
uences," that while methods may diff
II and there had been 'momentary
constructive statesman
Zip could bring the aims of their
ational policies into full harmony"
He was also not reminded that
w days later the Anglo-Iranian Oil
o., a majority of whose stock is
vned by the British government, sold
100000 barrels of crude oil to Japan
I'd that discussions for the purchase
other Anglo-Iranian products by
pan are under way.
The question occurred as to what
nd of cooperation there could be
tween Great Britain and the U. S.
der such circumstances but the
estion was not asked.
oxC vrDHy0nr~ -~-