Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-22
Should We Block or Help
japanese I exile Trade?

Tic PIOl1tS VI y oit1B1C nIuOobAy'
Since VJ-Day we have spent
an estimated 81 billions on aid
for Japan. The japanese are
among the proudest people Of
the world. They prefer to earn
their own living by trading. II
they sell much goods here.
they buy still more.
They are our third best Gus
toner. buying here three times
as much as they sell US.
Yet. despite the country's
dire economic need. Japan.
cowed by American cotton
mill pressure on the Congress.
in December voluntarily de-
cided to limit cotton fabric
exports to the United States
to $50 million square yards In
1856. Blouse exports win be.
held 10 2.5 million dozen and
other restrictions and safe
guards wiil be maintained.
The American drive for inn
port quotas Is up against the
determined opposition Of the
Administration. as detailed in
Secretary Of State John Foster
Dulles letter to Senator Mar
garet Chase Smith, published
in December. The Secretary
based his opposition on eco
nornic grounds. He might also
have cited history.
Since great wars have null
tiple causes 1t may be too
much to attribute Pearl Har-
Dor solely to economic factors.
But it is certainly true that
the economic and other pres
sures put on Japan. not alone
by the United States but by
western countries generally.
contributed Importantly to the
Tightening Sof the moose
around Japan's neck and
therefore to the ascendency
Of the military In formulating
Japan's foreign policy.
Japan Is one of the most
crowded countries in the
world, q mountainous land Of
limited arabic soil and in
dustrial raw material re-
sources. For the surplus pop
ulation. emigration (excepting
to the nearby Chinese main
land) offered no solution in
view Of the immigration bar
riers Of other countries. Ex-
ports Of low-priced textiles
and other manufactures, as
noted above. were limited not
only as to the United States,
but also many other countries
including the trade-important
British commonwealth and
colonies. Japanese goods were
no more welcomed by Compel
ing interests in Britain. Aus
tralia, New Zealand. Canada
or Africa than by those here.
Turn to Monehurio
The Japanese sought the
economic resources of Man
churia and the markets Of
China. then politically dis
ordered land Of war lords and
civil conflicts. But. as we well
know. that proved to be a big
mistake on Japan's part. for it
aroused not only the United
States textile and light bulb
industries. but all those whose
purpose 1t was to bring Ameri-
can might to China's defense.
For generations we had TAX
en- China's side. despite anti
American boycotts and anti
foreignism In China. After the
Boxers slaughtered foreigners
In Peking and elsewhere. we
devoted the Boxer indemnity
TO friendly education. Because
Of the large missionary and
business population Of Ameri-
cahs resident In and propa-
gandizing for China, we main
tanned there for generations
the largest consular and dislo-
matte establishment anywhere:
Marines and infantry. and a
large naval establishment in
the Far East. including gun
boats on the Yangtze River.
We had. we were told, to
protect the great China trade,
although in the year of the
China Incident" 1897. the
gross value Of our exports to
China was only l6il00 of / per
cent Of our output Of movable
goods. Our really important
trade with Japan required only
routine diplomatic facilities.
Our intervention against the
Japanese in China failed, how
ever, to shut the Japanese up
in their islands. War ensued.
although it did not produce the
results sought by prewar Chi
nese leaders and their Ameri-
can friends.
Another Pearl Harbor blow
by Japan Is not likely soon.
But United States economic
pressure against Japanese
goods is sure to push Japan to-
ward relations with Communist
countries on the Asian main
land. That would strengthen
the Soviet area economically
and militarily., 4s