Evening star., 1941-11-12
Showdown Is Near
On Japanese Problem,
Col. Knox Asserts
Declares Interests Vitul
To National Security
Are Threatened
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PROVIDENCE, r. l.. Nov. l2.-
Secretary of the Navy Knox assert
ed last night that this country no
longer could ignore japanese ac-
tions which violated American
rights and added that "the hour of
decision is here"
In an Armistice Day address, ded-
icating the vast new naval air base
at nearby Quonset. R. l.. Col. Knox
called for instant readiness for
defense" in the Pacific as well as the
Atlantic on the ground that Inter
ests which are vital to our national
security are seriously threatened"
Speaking directly to the Provi
dence Chamber of Commerce. which
heard an American U campaign
" for unity''-dedicated to him,
the Navy Secretary declared also
that the United States must as
sumo world leadership in making a
future peace founded on justice
rather than revenge. To preserve
this peace, he said, an entire COM
munity of nations must be ready to
move against any aggressor.
"Hour Of Great Danger
Secretary Knox spoke first of what
he called grim possibilities on the
far side of the Pacific and termed
the present IAN hour of great dan
ger"
In the last few years" he said,
"the efforts this Government has
made to maintain amicable rela-
tions with the japanese have been
long suffering and patient to a de-
gree almost unmatched in the his
tory Of international relations We
have co-operated with every liberal
and peace-loving element in Japan,
and we are still ready to cooperate
with those elements.
1--WE have been patient while, re-
peatedly. our rights have been vio-
lated. We have continued to permit
supplies to go to Japan although
we could very we'll have stopped
them on the ground that we needed
such supplies for our own defense.
We have felt that in the interests OF
peace we must be tolerant and take
risks.
But there comes time in the
life of every man and every nation,
when principles cannot be sacrificed,
and when vital and essential rights
can no longer be ignored, a time
when to 60 further would mean
that our liberality and forbearance
would be misunderstood We are
moved and actuated in the Pacific,
no less than in the Atlantic, solely
by considerations Of self-defense.
Four Points Raised.
In looking to the future, Secretary
Knox cited four points, the first OF
which he said was peace based
on Justice and righteousness
rather than revenge.
Free interchange of goods, and
free access TO raw materials must
be the cornerstone of any new
world to come" he added. THE
great powers-and that includes the
United States and the British En-
pire-which dominate the material
/ resources OF the earth, must see TO
1t that the rest of the nations get
fair share of them
The third basic point on which
we must base any new order is the
assumption by the United States of
the position of world leadership to
which its material resources and
stable government call it.
And, finally. any world order
which we attempt to establish after
the present war must rest
ultimately on a basis of force.
'"' We must estab some sort
Of international order in which the
entire community of nations will
move against any country which
deliberately invokes bloodshed to
achieve aggressive purposes"