CHINA MAIL Why The U.S. Fleet Should
WINDSOR HOUSE
ALT
THE WAR WORKER
Go To Singapore
A Washington View
By Joseph G. Harrison
toward the Netherlands or
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Reprinted from the "Christian Bolence Monitor!
A Naval View.
By Capt. Frederick Oliver, U.S.N., Re
·
trade
The British Association/ for Labour Legislation has produced a timely report on welfare and health in relation to war-time hours
America's Far Eastern policy Asia and a German-Italian victory! For years, Japan has patiently factors, and it is along its far- of work and output. The appears to-day to have crystal- in Europe would place this coun-awaited an opportunity to assert flung lines of communication that Government has shown a lised to a point where the county try between the jaws of a totali- its dominance over the Western Japan is vulnerable. Disrupt Pacific. The recent pact with the them and the Japanese Empire good appreciation of the is prepared to take full economic tarian nutcracker.
and belligerent measures against
Axis power indicates that either will revert to its semi-civilisa- dangers of unrestricted Japan if the latter continues to Having received an unpleasant it is convinced that the psycholo- tion of 100 years ago, for encroach upon territory consider-jolt last July when Great Britain gical time has arrived, or its Japan produces few of the raw and unregulated working ed vital to American safety and agreed to a three-months closure economic condition has forced the materials thut enter into present- time, but it is important well-being.
of the Burma Road, the main country's militant rulers to gam-day requirements. that it should be backed
Chinese trade artory to the out-ble on their nation's future. A number of sources close to side world, the Administration la
Japan's line of communication by an informed and alert the Administration agree that the reported to have decided that is the die appears to be cast, Japan's Americas and local trade with Whatever may be the reason, with the world, except for the public opinion.
White House and State Depart-aid to Britain must go beyond the representative leaders have vir- near-by Asia, goes through the Some employers and in-Navy Department, have decided clude economic, diplomatic, and, withdraw from participation in of Singapore to this vital
ment, strongly supported by the supplying of arms and must in- tually told the United States to Strait of Sunda. The proximity deed some workpeople that any further Japanese advance if necessary, military coopera- any matter in which Japan con- route has caused Japan to eye hardly realise that over-tish East Indies or toward Thai Far East.
Bri-tion with Great Britain in the siders it has an interest, and now, with great concern the establish- unless Japan is willing to submit merit of Britain's 'magnificent na- work can be a national land (Slam) and the British Ma-
to "loss of face" it must make val base in sheltered Seletar Har-
bour. disservice. It brings a fall lay States, at whose tip lies the great Singapore naval base, would
Evidence of this cooperation is good its demands, in the curve of hourly out-be sufficient cause for a complete present in the American embargo,
on the export of iron and steel In taking its recent stand, The 2,500 miles of ocean that all put and an increase in Anglo-American embargo on
scrap to Japan and in the $125,- Japan has either deliberately dis- separate Japan and Singapore trade to and from Japan. sickness, accidents, and
000,000 loan to the Chinese Gov-counted the economic effect of the made Britain's base secure from absenteeism. The Govern-j These same sources add that ernment, both of which actions boycott and embargo that can be any serious threat by the Japa- In an effort to the Administration is fully aware coincided with a British announce laid against it by the United ncse Navy.
States, or has counted on the overcome this handicap, Japan, ment's policy is sound, of the fact that such an embargo ment that the Burma Road would Presidential campaign reducing during the past few years, has
This cooperation the United and it is regrettable that might well lead to war, but that be reopened.
States to a state of neglected no opportunity of Washington is determined to take was strengthened by the signing lethargy and confusion.
seizing sites where intermediate not all its departments are
bases could the risk if it is the only way in of the German-Italian-Japanese
be located. First, acting on it.
Approximately two thirds of Hainan Island was taken. Later, which Japanese hegemony of the agreement as it emphasised to the
seizure of. Spratly As the British Associa- entire western and southern Paci-Administration and to the Ameri- Japan's oil requirements are sup came the
fic can be prevented. Meanwhile, can people that their one remain-plied by the United States, and Island, which is less than 1,000 tion's report says, there is the United States will seek in ing friend of any strength in the the remainder comes from the miles from Singapore.
world was the British Empire. Netherlands East Indies. An all the difference between every way to alleviate Far East-work
embargo on oil from the United Now with one eye on China ern tension and to convince Ja- "spurt" and "long-run"
There is a strong, well-substan- States would have the immediate and the other on Singapore, pan of the grave danger facing it.
tiated belief in authoritative effect of increasing Japan's de. Japan has begun to penetrate conditions of production,
that of Washington circles
this mands on the Dutch oil felds, Indo-China. This
Should its forces sudden hardening but we should be careful American policy, which during American-one might almost call which now divert to Japan only reath Saigon, they will be within not to continue the the more than three years of the it an Anglo-American-policy to an estimated 10 per cent of their 800 miles of Singapore. "spurt" too long. The re- ctilated between warnings and rather than
has ward Japan will be a dynamic output current Sino-Japanese war
a static defence of
The United States cannot afford in' the Far port was that more effec-deplorings, is traceable to the in- American interests
Any reluctance on the part of to wait. Every wasted day is a tual steps should be tak-creased resistance of the British East Persons close to current the Dutch authorities in comply tragedy. The Atlantic is now ing with such demands invites dominated by the British Fleet. conversations, in Europe, the growing inclina-Anglo-American
invasion, because Japan must. A friendly, well-equipped base en to see that the provi- tion of the American people to do which are officially admitted to be have dil. It has failed to interest at Singapore beckoning to Ameri- sions of the Factories Act their part in preserving democracy of the utmost importance," have
Mexico in supplying its' needs, can ships, is an entirely different and the Administration's recogni-informed. ""The Christian Science are observed; this means on that a Japanese victory in Monitor" that American use of and with California oil no longer matter from attempting to pro- available, Japan must turn to ject a hazardous, exhausting British air and naval bases Borneo.→ an increase in the number
campaign. across the wide Racific throughout the Pacific Ocean is
to arrive at a port which must be already determined upon.
Japan has long been credited seized and made secure 'as a base with designs upon these fabul- from which our fleet can operate. Since American use of the Sin-ously rich islands, and no doubt
A heavy force of United States gapore base, which high Navy of- is prepared to include them in the ficials have said unofficially can "new order in Greater East Asia" ships at Singapore would threaten become as important to American just as soon as the hecessary "in- one end of Japan's 2,500-mile communications through defence as are the Hawalian Is-cident" can safely be contrived. line of lands, is included in this agree
the South China. Sen to such an Japan, behind its fortified bases extent that Japan would have. ment, the scope of the new Anglo- in home waters and outlying to concentrate its fleet in that American cooperation can be real-islands, occupies a superb posi- area of else withdraw.
tion defensively. However, it is
strategically for If such a concentration is ef- carrying out an offensive cam- fected, Japan's long line of com- State Department and White paign, and is now engaged in munication will be inadequately
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Ised."
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ments of active or retired Navy
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open to disrupting raids by crul- sers operating from Manila, Hong
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of inspectors and also in Australian, started this their firmness of resis-sodality in 1926 by plac- tance.
ing hundreds of messages The Minister of Labour in many languages in has shown his concern for glass bottles and scatter- welfare and deserves ing them, a few at a time, every support in his ef- from the deck of a ship on forts to get decent mess-its way. from Vancouver rooms and canteens and to Sydney The member- to encourage communal ship grew among the Of increasing importance in poorly located feeding. It is to be hop people who found the bot House deliberations on the Far making a desperate effort to re guarded elsewhere, and Will be ed that the appointment tles and read and replied East is the voice of the Navy De-medy this defect.
partment, whose long-standing. of his welfare officers will to the messages therein predictions as to Japan's Far East- In any campaign in the West-Kong, and Hawaii. not be delayed. The report contained. Answers came ern intentions are now being ern Pacific, the lines of com
are the controlling In the past, Japan received has some sensible remarks from all quarters of the borne out. Thus the public state-munication
every consideration by the United on billeting conditions, globe, and took months oficials are now being carefully
States Government, Now that which require far more at-and sometimes years to studied in Washington.
ceeding months saw popular and Japan, of its own accord, has ask Congressional agitation for an em- ed for a showdown, the United tention than they have arrive.
As long ago as last April, when bargo upon Japan, which culmi- States should immediately place yet had. As the new mu-
From a casual bottle-there was little evidence that the nated in the dramatic announce the needed "force" at Singapore
Administration was nearing nition factories come into dropping concern the In- end of its patience with Japan, ed States
the ment in July, 1939, that the Unit- to insure that Japan keeps the
was abrogating the peace. work the problem will be-ternational Bottle Club Rear Admiral Joseph K. Taussig, American-Japanese Trade Trea- The tremendous advantage come urgent. A further has become a systematis-departmental authority Sety, thus opening the way for eco-gained from taking the initiative Affairs, told the Senate nomic sanctions against Japan. has long been a well-recognised useful point made is the ed business. The members Naval Affairs Committee that "I demand that the Board of collect thousands of old cannot see how we can escape be- Further evidence of American principle of war, and the present
ing forced into eventual war (with displeasure with the course of Ja- the disastrous
conflict has forcibly illustrated results that come Education shall under-bottles and hand them Japan) by the present, trend of panese aggression came when the from failing to seize and hold take an inquiry into the over to
United States placed a "maral" the initiative. The United States nassengers on events."
embargo on the shipment of aero- now has an opportunity for ex- employment of children long-distance ships, with This statement takes on added planes to Japan and with the re-crcising the initiative. Japan has of school age since the requests to drop them interest when compared with afusal of the Maritime Commission gambled on American unwilling- war and stiffen its restric- over the side at speci-recent declaration by Rear Ad- to charter oil tankers to that mess to do so.
Harry E. Yarnell, retired, country. An embargo upon the tions. This is bound up, fied points in the jour former commander of the Asiatic export of aviation gasoline and of Japan is definitely on the move, however, with the general ney, as far as possible Fleet that war between the Unit- the necessary tetracthyl for inak-and has never shown for M question of compulsory from land. Records of the 12 States and Japan appears "very ing it also followed. But it was clination to avoid taking the in- likely." Similar sentiments have not until the joint Anglo-Ameriitiative, Twice, Japan has struck school attendance on answers received to the been expressed by Adinital Wil- can action of embargoing Ameri-fist and declared war afterward, which so far the Board bottle messages are col-chief of Naval Operations, who British popchirig of the Burnia contest with China has never H. Standley, retired, former can iron and steel scrap and the and Its Bresent long-drawn-out has pursued such a spine- lated and passed round, feels that the United States should Road that Tokyo became convin- been designated a war. less policy
and the general idea is take strong and immediate econo-ced that a real change might be In Indo-China, Japan already that the curious hobby may one day provide valu- The present crystallisation of At present the United States States waits longer, it may be THE BIGGER BOTTLE able information as to the America's polles toward Japan. Government is making a minute too late. With Tapah strongly while, flowering during the past survey of the effect which an entrenched in Indo-China and drift of world ocean curfew months, has roots, that go over-all American, and an An- the Netherlands East Indies the CLUB
rents and the direction of back for several years, Mary per-glo-American, embargo would initiative will have passed," sons in Washington assert that the have upon Japan. It is under beyond recall, from American The suppression of se- winds. Some of the bot-rst inkling of this policy was stood that particular attention is hands and Singapore will veral London bottle clubs tles have tortuous and given by President Robsevelt in being given to the question of have become a liability instead The American”TM fleet should be at Singapore before tho provides an appropriate long voyages, one, drop- his famous quarantine the ag- American silk purchases from Jn of an asset.
pressors speech of October, 1887. pan.
United States places, un embargo opportunity to mention ped by a Japanese Bottle Thin speech was followed a few
o oll to Japan. Every day of the existence of an Inter-Club member near Kami London of a secret Navy Depart-that strong joint Anglo-American tunity to strengthen its position
[monthĩ, later by the dispatch to Thus, while it seems Improbable delay gives apan more oppor national Bottle Club, chatka, arrived three ment emissary whose job it was action can be expected If Japan in the South China Sea. whose members are not in years later at Chile, and glo-American cooperation in the Chinese mainland, it is believed a ticle are those of the writer and
to explore the possibility of An- confince its activities to the The opinions of the above ar the least interested in messages thrown over- Far East.
certainty that this country is pre-not to be .construed ns reflecting: drinking. A certain Co-board at Alaska have
pared to take strong steps if Ja the views of the Navy, Depart- Although nothing much came of pan moves much farther to the mont or of the naval service at lonel Edward P. Bailey, an turned up in Australia. these two developments, the auc- "south "br- the-south-west,- ****d large:]U***
[mic action against Japan.
at hand,
is within bombing distance of the Burma Road. If the United