The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-08-28
Third Installment from
WHAT AMERICA MEANS
TO ME-"
BY Pearl s. Buck
John Day Co.. New York t$2.00)
"FREEDOM"

now beginning 70 appear out OF this
war. 1t is not a ghost-it is the first
appearance Of q reality. And the
reality is the world OF tomorrow.
be ginning TO take shape out OF the
world Of today. What is this shape!
It is the shape Of a world in which
there is already a new East. The
war began in the East. The seizure
OF Manchuria in 1881 was not the
beginning OF the war, though some
have called il that. The war WIS
begun in Japan long before that.
and il was a civil war. The war
was between old Japan and new
Japan-old Japan. which is the old
East OF which ancient Japan was a
part. and new Japan. which is the
West.
II is old Japan that wages war
against the West today. old Japan
though fighting with bombers and
warships. Her civil war is finished.
Her people are unified for the du-
ration. Old Japan has triumphed
and is on the offensive against the
West.
This triumph Of the ancient East
has had its inevitable effect upon
other countries of Asia. Tire Pam
Asia OF which Japan is dreaming
viii rot come about under her rule.
but j. may come about. Il is the
clearest part OF tomorrow's vast
dim shape The military triumph
Of Japan against the West has made
FANTASIA something more than a
dream. China. fighting beside the
Yves. against Japan. nevertheless
has TO: los. as the white man lost
in Burma. in Malaga, in tie Meth
eriands East Indies. and even in
the Philippines. For IN those losses
the East triumphed over the West.
and China is part Of the East China
was fighting local war against
Japan, but she was also in larger
war. and though she lost the small
er war she gained in the larger one.
In SO far as Japanese victory has
pushed the West out Of the East,
IL has been China's victory too.
And II has been midas victory.
When Japan drove the white man
out OF his empire in other places
she loosened his hold upon India.
The slackening OF the imperial
grasp is tek by millions Of hearts
hungry for freedom. II explains
more than anything else. wha: is
happening az this moment in India.
and what will happen tomorrow.
Something new is coming out OF
the East What il is cannot yet be
d.seerned. blu. /: will bring a great
change TO the whole world. And
the reason il cannot ye; be clearly
discerned is becals the shape is
no; definite. What il viii be de-
ponds on the way the West goes II
depends upon The sort OF mind that
Will take power in the West and
mold the thoughts Of western peo-
pies. There is ye: time to make that
dim Eastern shape 4 benevolent
one. But unless be,aied wisdom
guides the West. the East will not
be benevolent and there may be
greater catastrophe than We have
I. yet had There may be new war
with new foes and strange new al
lianccs.
I; is this discovery Of the posi-
billy OF freedom by those who have
no; been free which is the most
poten; force IN our world today
Great good may come out Of II and
great evil. For freedom is mans
dream wherever msn is found. The
| ignorant worker on rubber plan
;a;ion III Sumatra dreamed OF free
dom. slave that he was. The Indian
in a village, never having seen ar
Erg,ishman. has known he was no,
free. and he Is hungry and thirsty
for freedom, ard he will have free
dom though he die for il. For thi:
war is larger than the struggle be.
tween any two or three nations
larger than our war with Hitler
larger than Japan's war of aggres
sion. larger than even any war 70,
national survival. II is the war FOL
human freedom.
The waiting East, the Quiescent
subject East. has seen the possibili