Evening star., 1940-04-28

Ing Japan 10 the TRADE OF CnS western
World, reported to the Navy Department.
If this observation is as valid In 1910 as
it was 81 years ago. the problem Of the
United States is delicate.
The actions speaking louder than
words which the United States have un-
dertaken toward Japan since the Chinese
expedition began are few.
Twice the Navy has asked for and
twice Congress has rejected an appro-
priation for harbor Improvements con-
sidered preliminary steps to the fortihca-
ton of Guam, the little island possession
of the United States in the Eastern Pa
ciflc lying between the Japanese Archi-
pelago proper and the japanese island
possessions of Paualu, Yap, Truk, Ponape
and Jaluit.
Twice the American Navy has held
large-scale maneuvers in the Pacific. But,
then, the American Navy is devised as q
navy for the Pacific Ocean.
The Government has increased its naval
expenditures but that step is construable
less as threat to Japan than as a re-
action to the European arms race and
the European war.
1911 Treaty Abrogated.
The Army is urging the development
of Anchorage in Alaska as military air
base. Parts of Alaska are nearer Japan
than Hawaii
The Export Import Bank has lent
money to China for military supplies.
The United States has abrogated the
1911 treaty with Japan. This provides
this country with sword of Damocles to
hang over Japan, because the abrogation
paves the way for the imposition of an
embargo, or prohibitive tariff against
japanese silk eXports-cutting sharply
into Japan's source OF foreign exchange
which she needs to buy necessaries in
other parts of the world-and an embargo
on shipments of goods to Japan.
Despite the war of words, Japan has
gone ahead with her Chinese UNDER
taking, outraging the American position
by the use of military force to subjugate
a people and f1outing the American be-
lief in the "sanctity of treaties" by pro-
claiming November 3, 1888, the new
order" in Asia-involving a closer rela-
tionship of Japan Manchukuo and
China in all political, economic and cul-
tural fields in order to perfect a Joint
defense against Communism, to create
new culture, to realize closer economic
cohesion and to secure international
justice" This amounted to a Japanese
displacement of all the pledges made by
the signatories of the Nine Power Treaty,
with all the signatories except Japan
thrust into the cold.
Viscount Ishii Stated Position.
The fundamentals of the japanese
position were outlined as long ago as
June, 1882, by Viscount 1shii, the Foreign
Minister, in an address of welcome to
Joseph c. Grew, then the new and now
the veteran United States Ambassador
in Toxic. Seiji Hishida, japanese writer,
recalls the incident in his recent book,
Japan Among the Great Powers:
THE Viscount x observed that AN
armed conflict between our countries is
possible only in two extremely improb-
able contingencies: the one. if Japan
were foolish enough to attempt unduly
to interfere with matters of the Western
Hemisphere and the other, if the
United States ever attempted to domi-
nate the Asiatic continent and prevent
Japan from her pacific and natural ex-
pansion in this part of the world"
The first ground of war is non-exist-
ent; Japan has been rather restrained
in her interference in Western Hemi-
sphere affairs The second ground. too.
within the strict meaning of the words
used by Ishii, is non-existent, even
though the United States has by words
attempted to halt Japan's expansion,
natural, perhaps, but not pacific Am
bassador Grew told the Japanese that
the Americans have real interest in
the japanese activities on the Asian
continent:
The new order in Asia has appeared
to include, among other things, depriv-
Ing Americans of their long-established
rights in China, and to this the Ameri-
can people are opposed. American rights
and interests in China are being i'm
paired or destroyed by the policies and
actions of the Japanese authorities in
China. American property is being dam
aged or destroyed; American nationals
are being endangered and subjected to
indignities. s.
For my part will say this. 1t is my
belief. and the belief of the American
Government and people, that the many
things injurious to the United States
which have been done and are being
done by Japanese agencies are wholly
needless. We believe that real stability
and security in. the Far East could be
attained without running counter to any
American rights whatsoever"
Hishida insists that the japanese are