Evening star., 1941-02-16
Ambassador Nomura Is Facing
Many Problems in New Post
Admiral's Arrival in Washington Concentrates
u. S. Attention on Far Eastern Aspects
of the World Upheaval
By Felix NJ Moriey.

The arrival in Washington of Ambas-
sador Kichisaburo Nomura, Japan's
new and genial envoy to the United
States, should serve to concentrate
American attention, at least momen-
tarily, on Far Eastern aspects of the
world upkeaval.
At the time of his appointment, last
November, a Toxic newspaper called
Admiral Nomura's mission "Japans
final effort to break the impasse in
JAPANESE American relations" If that
gloomy opinion is to be believed, at
least it must be qualified by noting that
the final effort is promising so far as
personality is concerned. During the
first World War the new Ambassador
was a young and very popular naval
ettache in Washington. He then dis
tinctly proved himself the type of
japanese who gets on" with Americans.
Admiral Nomura, moreover, has a dual
advantage for his present post. AS
Foreign Minister for a brief period in
1899, he sought energetiCally to settle
outstanding difficulties between his
country and the United States. Indeed
his efforts to reopen the Yangtze River
to foreign trade, and otherwise re-
constitute an open door" in occupied
China, were partly responsible for the
overthrow of the cabinet in which he
served.
For Z. S. Friendship.
Beyond this, the new Ambassador has
never been an outspoken advocate OF
Japans alignment with the Berlin
Rome axis and is believed to consider
tine friendship Of the United States far
more important to his country. There
is, however, no question as to the loyalty
and ability with which Admiral Nomura
will work in Washington for the policy
of his government, whether or not it
conforms with that desired by the De-
partment of State.
AS Admiral Nomura assumes his i'm
portant post. the prospects ahead for
Japan seem fairly bright. But this is
perhaps due more to increasing Chinese
difficulties than to any solid successes
on the part of Japan's government.
The recent disarming and disbanding
of the Chinese Fourth Army, one of the
two Communist army corps which here
tofore have co-operated effectively with
Gen. Chang Kai-shek, has revealed a
serious weakness in the nationalist
regime A renewal of the civil war
which was patched up by the japanese
invasion is not expected. But the united
front so successfully maintained by the
Chinese generalisSimo is certainly
threatened to japanese advantage.
The situation for Chungking is more
serious because of economic disorders
and rapidly rising prices for which
Chinese mismanagement seems in part
to blame. Under date of January 20
q Chinese friend of mine, teaching at
one of the universities in unoccupied
territory, writes: Granting that eco
nomic forces are sometimes not easily
controllable, think a great deal could
still have been done. This bothers me
greatly for if unremedied, the morale of
the masses will rapidly deteriorate."
Chinas Difficulties.
1t appears, therefore, that the eco
nomic and fiscal difficulties of Ma
tionalist China have been only partially
Offset by the generous credits which
since last November have been extended
in rapid succession by the United States,
Great Britain and Russia.
China" says the current issue of the
Far Eastern Survey, issued by the
American Council of the Institute of
Pacific Relations, has all the credit she
can use for some time to come. Her
difficulty in maintaining imports of war
materials is at present not financial but
physical"
The serious and increasing troubles
of China of course encourage japanese
hopes for the firm establishment of the
new order" in East Asia. But those
hopes are coupled with anxiety aroused
by the steady advance of Russian in
fuence in Chinese territory.
Japan, moreover, has plenty of eco
nomic difficulties of her own to con-