The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-10-25
G EN- Z RAJ
HUGH s.
JON N SON
..l!dHc.'

Washington, d. c

FAR EASTERN CRISIS
What is the great crisis off the
coast Of China which so plainly
threatens US with war with Japan?
It is that Japan, Germany and
Italy have agreed that If any other
nation makes war on any one of
them, the three will join to defend
each other. There is nothing new
about that kind of defensive alliance.
That is the kind of agreement that
France and England had with Po-
land which brought on this new
world war when Germany attacked
Poland. That turned Hitler's threat
west when 1t was headed east. It is
the kind Of agreement that France
had with all the small nations
around Germany which were Gre
ated by the Treaty Of Versailles-the
so-called Gordon Sanitaire, which
didn't work except to destroy Eu-
rope.
But now ii is said that war be-
tween us and Japan is Immediately
threatened because of this very
usual, but not very sensible, triple
alliance. Why? Because our people
want to fight war against yellow
men in Asia? Ninety-nine per cent
of them don't, 80 per cent wouldn't
even know what the issues are.
We are told that our great danger
is eastward, in Europe, that Hitler
is our menace. Yet here is "situ-
alton" that threatens to embroil us
$4,000 miles from the heart of that
danger-6,000 miles westward from
our own coasts.
What American interests are
threatened there? Principally some
Standard Oil properties and, so far
as China is concerned, not 5000, 000,-
600 altogether-that plus an insig-
nificant annual trade total. Our
principal trade is with Japan. Such
war would cost us that and un-
counted billions more. and get us
nothing. Our flag is in the Philip
pines-with our promise to the Fill
ipinos made at their request, to with
draw it. Our interests there are al
most negligible. The argument of
our dependence on Indo-C China and
Malaysia for rubber and tin is
light makeweight for war, recently
greatly discounted or completely ex-
ploded.
Why then are we being showed
to the edge of war without the will
Of the people or congress, and with
no more reason than has been stated
here; largely on the support of a
few cocky professional admirals and
a fewer amateur military kibitzers?
Reasons other than political ex-
pediency" are advanced. Our great
naval strategist, Walter Lippmann,
calls what is going on the battle Of
oceans. Mr.. Winston Churchill
seems to assume a British-Ameri-
can naval alliance already in being.
Several others of like mind say it
is up to US to destroy the Japanese
navy before it can grow further or
receive aid from any other navy.
Why? We are committed to a
navy large enough for hemisphere
defense. England may need abso-
lutte naval supremacy not only in
a hemisphere but around the world.
She needs it because the ''Sun never
sets on the British domain" She
needs it to keep weaker peoples in
subjugation. Is it our policy to do
that for ourselves?
ELLIOTT'S CAPTAINCY
Elliott Roosevelt says am eds
gushing old man." and now, in the
same connection, Ernest Lindley
says I am Mexican jumping bean.
In criticizing the appointment by OBJ
vious favoritism of draft-eligible
young Elliott to soft, non-com-
blatant job as kiwi air captain,
didn't call any names. I didn't even
assess any blame to any of the
Roosevelt family except inadvert-
ence. This column has opposed at
lacking the President for the errors
of his kin and has consistently de-
Tended the latter.
/ still insist that Mr.. Roosevelt
did not originate the error of Eli
otis appointment. For one reason,
he is too good politician to permit
this bitter and unnecessary affront,
directly or indirectly, to almost ev-
cry home and mother in America.
Even that political conclusion is
little bit unfair. F.D.R. likes to
emulate IRIS boys, who in 1917
or before, rushed to combat service.
Some served in England's armies
before 1917. forget the exact
record, but, as I remember, all saw
front-line service; all, seem to
recall, came away bearing honor
able scars; one, think, was wound
ed three times; one was gassed,
and one, Knoxville youngest and
best-beloved-shot from the skies in
flaming death, lies buried by his
chivalrous enemies in the fields Of
France. When they sought to bring
the honored little that was left Of
him home to his mother, T.R. wrote
Gen. Peyton March, who had also
lost son, where the tree falls,
there let it lie."
~