PACIFIC SEA POWER

Evening Star, Issue 23702, 9 October 1940, Page 8

PACIFIC SEA POWER

JAPAN NEARS NAVAL PARITY WITH UNITED STATES SECRET BUILDING The New York ‘ Herald-Tribune ’ declared on September 3 that Japan is nearing naval parity with the United States, and that secretly she is building naval, submarine, and air bases on the way to the Philippines (a protectorate of the United States), the Netherlands East indies, and China. _ The ‘ Herald-Tribune,’ however, disputes recent statements by Rear-ad-miral Stirling, former Chief of Stalf of the United States fleet, that war in the Pacific is inevitable.

Despite Japanese secrecy the ‘ Her-ald-Tribune ’ says it has been ascertained that since 1937 Japan has commissioned three 10,000-ton cruisers, two 7,500-ton cruisers, 22 1,600-ton destroyers, and 12 1,600-ton submarines.Simultaneously, it is announced in Tolcio that the warship Nowaci, of an unidentified category, will be launched on September 17.

LOW ECONOMIC RESOURCES. The 1 Herald-Tribune ’ expresses the belief that Japan, in view of her painfully low economic resources and after being disillusioned by her army, would not want to take her navy into any move unless it was “ a sure thing.”_ “ Nothing in the East is sure while Britain is undefeated, and_ the preoccupation of the totalitarian States with British sea and air power leaves the United States free to resent highhanded Japanese expansion,” the ‘ Herald-Tribune ’ continues.

“ There remains the possibility that the United States may determine in the near future, without further occasion for it than now exists, to settle scores with Japan before a greater menace can develop in the Atlantic, but at present public opinion, however hostile to Japan, chooses to wait on some extremely foolish and provocative Japanese act. in which the hard-boiled opportunists now controlling Japanese affairs are unlikely to indulge.” The New York ‘ Times,’ in a leading article, opposes the change in national policy ■ toward the Sino-japanese war which has been urged by_ an important section of American opinion.

While agreeing that the United States, if possible, should not allow itself to be placed in the middle of two hostile Powers, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, the New York 1 Times 1 questions whether appeasement of Japan by the United States would work any better in Asia than appeasement of Germany by Britain worked in Europe. INVOLVEMENT IN CHINA. It points out that one factor now limiting Japan’s freedom of action as an aggressor is involvement in China, and that any move made by the_ United States to free Japan from that involvement would enable her to increase her striking power elsewhere for example, against French Indo-China, the Netherlands East Indies, or Singapore, “ the only outpost of a Western Power along the whole Asiatic coast representing a real check to Japanese aspirations.” It would be an ironic consequence if,' by appeasing Japan, we made it easier for her to conquer China, and then to go to Singapore and_ deal a heavy blow at the same British sea power which is our only present hope of preventing Germany from gaining control of the Atlantic,” the New York 1 Times ’ adds.

“ The United States has no quarrel with the Japanese, and no intention and no real means of making war against the Government which rules the masses of Japan, but it is plainly to the advantage of Americans to keep Japan tied down in China instead of freeing her to strike against our own interests in the Pacific, or at the interests of Britain, our natural ally in this situation.”