ATTACK ON JAPAN

Evening Star, Issue 22261, 12 February 1936, Page 9

ATTACK ON JAPAN

AMERICAN SENATOR’S SPEECH CRITICISM OF POLICY Prej« Association—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, February 10. Senator Pittman, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, delivered an address in the Senate to-day so critical of tho Japanese policy' that it is feared it is likely to arouse world-wide attention. He claimed that Japan intends to close tho door to China to America, “ even if war is necessary to accomplish it.” Ho advocated American naval and air forces sufficient to “ protect ” American rights. “ China is still an independent Government at peace with the world and desirous of trading with us, and there is nothing in the circumstances that can legally or physically interfere with such trade.” He characterised as arrogant and impertinent the alleged statements of Admiral Takahashi that unless the United States renounced her naval policy, aimed at expansion and protection of her foreign trade, Japan would be forced to extend her fleet’s cruising radius to New Guinea, the Celebes, and Borneo, and establish a foothold in Formosa and the mandated South Sea Islands.

Senator Pittman declared that the Congress would not bo bulldozed into abandonment of national defence and protection of America’s legitimate foreign trade or her commerce with China.

Senator Lewis, who recently visited Russia, joined Senator Pittman in the attack on Japan with the novel prediction that Japan and the Soviet would form an alliance against the United States for domination of Asia, to the exclusion of American trade, and would eventually co-operate in the seizure of Alaska and the Philippines.