The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-03-19
White Man Doomed In Asia?

Edgar Snow in a current article in The Saturday Evening
Post says that America might as well make up it's mind that
on December 7h ended a two-century era in Asia. He says
the curtain dropped then on the period of the white mans
empire which saw that white man dealing with the Asiatics
as subjects and inferior men. That day is gone regardless of
the outcome Of this war, Mr.. Snow says.
1t is necessary for the American people and her allies to
understand this fundamental fact, Mr.. Snow believes, in order
for them to understand why we are fighting Japan.
We are fighting Japan, Of course, first because we were
attacked and we are fighting her for victory. But after VIC
tory, then what?
The Post asks:
What of our long-range objective? When Japan is smash
ed, fenced back inside her little island world, what Their?
Do we intend to asks our Chinese allies to return to the white
man the colonies and concessions which the Japanese have
taken over temporarily? And what would he the Chinese
answer? Are we committed to restore the white mans Asia
in China, Indo-China, Malaga, the Netherlands East Indies,
Burma, India?"
Most Americans will reason that the question of winning
the war should come first. Some say we should not think
about what we are fighting for nor what kind of peace we
will have until we have won.
However, the sooner we face these very questions and ans
wer them in our own minds the better it will be because our
answers will have an important effect on the outcome If the
war, particularly its duration.
II the Asiatics of the Philippines, India, Malaya, China and
the Netherland East Indies get the idea the war ia being
fought between Japan and the United Nations tn determine
who is going to rule them they might we'll decide it is a choice
between tit and tat. They are not likely to get very enthusiast
tic fighting with United Nations if, in the end, they are going
to again be subjects of one or more of the United Nations.
In this event they might easily listen to the Japs who tells
them that the Jap is an Asiatc just like themselves and that
he comes in the role of a big brother to restore Asia to it's
place in the sun while the white man comes as an alien
conqueror just as the magazine points out.
The Post, in its editorial columns, quotes Pearl Buck, emf
nent American %authoress, who spoke in New York while Singa-
pore was falling: "The peoples of Asia want most of all in this
war their freedom. Japan aims to show them that if the U. S.
wins, they will not have it. We cannot win this war without
convincing our allies that we are fighting for freedom every
where"
President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill have subscribed
to the four freedoms for people everywhere over the world,
in the Pacific as well as the Atlantic. If this is true then
it is time that a policy be declared on what the Allied Nations
intend to do with the Asatn peoples after they have fought
and won their freedom for them.
Is Amerca fighting this war to whip the Japs and restore
subject Dutch and British subjects to their former masters?
Are the British and Dutch going to give the peoples of Snga-
pore, Sumatra, Java, India and the Netherlands East Indies
their freedom when the war is over and wen?
If not, then thousands upon thousands of American boys
will have shed their blood for an ideal of the four freedoms
which proved false.
We think our government owes it to those who are doomed
!, to die to have a clear understanding with our allies that they
shall not have died in vain.
If the British and Dutch do not intend to give up their
subjects once we and they have won the war thon we arc
fighting this war under false principles and good American
blood is being shed in vain. @9