York
January 11, 1940.
Free to Place Retrain!. J«n. 26
It
aon
fa
ON ARMS TO JAPA
Extension of 'Moral Embargo'
Urged to Impress on Tokyo
the Sentiment in U. S.
emphasized by Mr. Stlm-
that Iho United States would
bo "morally free" to place re.tric-
lta commerce with
.l/i pun
The text of ifr. Stimaon'e Ut-
ter is printed on Page 4.
Henry L. Sllmson. former Socre-
tar>' of State, proposed in a letter
to Ths New York Times yesterday
that Congress pass one of the four
bills now before It to prohibit the
export of arms, munitions or raw
materials for arms to Japan.
A comparatively small number of
Individual Americans, he charged,
have been aiding Japanese aggres-
sion In China for three years. He
Identified them as "chiefly the mer-
chants who are selling to Japan the
ore, steel and scrap Iron indispen-
sable for her bombs, and the largo
oil producers who nre selling to her
the even more Indispensable avia-
tion gasoline for her planes."
He urged the State Department
to extend the "moral embargo" now
effective on the export of airplanes
and on machinery to manufacture
special aviation gasoline, to the ox-
port of these additional articles, but
said he did not think this would be
enough. He said he believed legis-
lation was needed to impress Japan
"with the seriousness of the feel-
ing of our people as to this matter."
Emphasis on Right Conduct
The passage of such legislation,
he continued, would show "the
emphasis we place upon right con-
duct in international relations and
particularly upon the treaty for
which we are mainly responsible,
undertaking to respect the integrity
and independence of China," and
would do more than anything else
to impress the Japanese people
"with the sincerity of our pur-
pose."
Such an expression of American
disapproval, he argued, ultimately
would help produce a reversal of
the policy of the Japanese Army
leaders, without which reversal, he
said, "the stable equilibrium of
Eastern Asia, in which the United
States is so deeply interested and
which Is now menaced by Japan's
attack upon China, cannot be re-
stored."
It also would show the whole
world, he continued, "that this na-
tion recognizes Its responsibility for
making efforts toward the restora-
tion of law and order and that
wherever its peaceful influence can
effectively be thrown it will be
thrown on the side of independence
and freedom and against milita-
rized aggression."
Mr. Stimson also held that the
proposed action would fortify the
good effects which followed the
act of Congress last year repenting
the arms embargo. It would show
again that the American people
were "not afraid to discriminate
between right and wrong," and
would Identify us more firmly on
the side of the peace-loving nations
rather than as "nn unwilling ally"
of aggressor nations.
I tlons on
after Jan. 26. whon the six months
notice of our abrogation of the
Japanese - American commercial
treaty expires.
Taking Issue with those who
argue that such proposals as his
might lead us into war with Japan,
Mr. Stimson said that "the very
last thing which the Japanese Gov-
ernment desires Is a war with the
United States. This was proved,
he continued, by the Japanese re-
action to our action denouncing the
commercial treaty.
Instead of threatening war, Japan
"put the brakes" on anttl-Amerlcnn
acts in China, began issuing concil-
iatory statements, and organized a
movement In this country to try to
persuade us to negotiate a new
treaty, and also to offer our good
offices for mediation in China.
He strongly urged against any
mediation by this country now. He
asserted that the Japanese military
efforts were beginning to "bog
down." and that recent events had
given the Chinese Government re-
newed confidence to resist.
Any attempt by the United States
"to force a peace upon China." he
went on. would not bring enduring
peace, but would merely help Japan
acquire "legal title" to territory she
has seized by force, would mnke
China a vassal State, and would
mean an abandonment of all the
principles this country has main-
tained toward China. It would
seriously discredit the United States,
he said, and impair our interests
not only In the Far East but
throughout the world.
¦