Evening star., 1940-01-25
Zero Hour

ehd0Ily six HlOntIS IN WnlCn TO con-
template the effects of the demise of
the twenty-nine-year-old CONNER
cial treaty which expires by our ter
mination of it on July 26, 1889, under
terms provided for such action by
either signatory. AS late as this
week Ambassador Horinouchi was
instructed to inquire at Washington
Cd whether, after January 26, there
will be any change in American du-
ties and tonnage rates now imposed
upon japanese imports; (2) whether
there is any possibility of an ex-
change of notes between the two
governments defining the immedi-
ately future status of trade relations,
and CD what will be the position of
japanese merchants who have been
doing business in the United States
under the old treaty's provisions.
The japanese envoy was left in
no doubt of this Governments atti-
tude. In nutshell, Uncle Sam
proposes to stand pat. When most
favored-nation rights, hitherto en-
joyed by Japan, come to an end on
Friday, our trade relations with her
will remain on day-to-day basis.
The next move, to convert those re-
lations from a transitory basis to a
more permanent foundation, such
as that upon which they have rested
since 1911, must come from Toxic.
The Mikado's government has long
been aware of what it has to do to
make the United States once again
treaty-minded. The Island Empire,
without mincing words, must pledge
itself to mend its ways in China;
and it will be judged in Washington
by its works and not by its words.
Our denunciation of the now de-
funct trade pact was not lightly
undertaken. At stake is trade VOL
ume of vital Importance to both
countries. While the grand mutual
total indicates that Japan is more
dependent on America for foreign
trade than our export industry is
dependent on the japanese market,
the benefits of our long and profit
able commercial intercourse with
Nippon can be described as truly
reciprocal. She is the largest buyer
Of American raw cotton; we are her
largest customer for raw silk. But
it would be much greater depriva-
tion for Japan to be cut off from
American cotton imports than it
would be for American women to
get along without stockings made
out of japanese silk.
Important as these trade details,
possible tariff reprisals, ETC., might
be, it is the vaster aspects of the
whole Far Eastern problem which
really will be at issue as the after
math of the economic breach now
imminent with our old friends on
the other side of the globe. That
breach has enSued as a deliberately
punitive measure on our part-aS a
peaceful but forceful protest against
the pretensions of the Japanese
militarists to establish "a new order
in ASIA" pretensions which are the
outgroWth of their undeclared war
of aggression on China. In the wake
of that wanton conflict and the
illegal occupation of China, the i'm
perial army for the better part of
three years has ridden roughshod
over the rights of the United States
and its nationals in many parts of
the invaded country. Establishment
of "a new order" would mean, as all
the world knows, the eventual exclu-
sion of foreigners and foreign trade
from China and its conversion into
a japanese monopoly Protest after
protest has been submitted to the
Toxic government, to evoke only
empty apologies or promises of good
behavior, which were repeatedly
broken.
This is why January 26, 1910, will
denote turning point In Japanese
American relations. The people Of
the United States earnestly hope it
may prove a turn for the better.
But there is no longer any room for
doubt that a beneficent result can
follow only a fundamental change
Of heart, spirit and policy in Japan.
If the army clique which rules the
roost at Toxic believes this country
is content indefinitely to accept
pious professions instead of prac-
tical performance from the Jap
anese in China, the helmeted and
spurred exponents of the new order
in Asia" are inviting for themselves
disappointment and disillusionment.