United States Cuts Adrift from Japanese Friendship Treaty

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1939, Page 7

United States Cuts Adrift from Japanese Friendship Treaty

NEW YORK, July 27,

X HE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DECIDED LAST NIGHT TO

GIVE NOTICE OF ABROGATIO N OF THE 1911 TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE WITH JAPAN. NOTES ANNOUNCING- THE ACTION WERE HANDED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR AT WASHINGTON AN!) THE FOREIGN OFFICE IN TOKIO,

Only 250 words in length, the an nouncement makes no mention of the situation in China, but stresses that the United States has, in recent years, been examining treaties of commerce and navigation between the United States and foreign countries “with the view to determining what changes may or need be made, toward better serving the purpose for which such treaties are concluded."

The Note, however, significantly adds that the abrogation is aimed toward preparing the way for new consideration of the treaty “with the view to better safeguarding and promoting American interests as new develop-

ments may require,

The treaty contains the usual clause:

of a commercial pact concerning rights of residents and legal protection for nationals, right of consuls, shipping, etc., with most-favoursd-nation clauses. Perhaps the most important of these not only give both countries minimum tariff protection, but also

Experienced observers in Washington show considerable variance In their interpretations. Thus, the Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” stresses that the implications of the • abrogation are more political than economic, and says it would be necessary to -go bad; to the French revolution, with the French raids on American commerce, to find a close parallel to so obviously retaliatory a political measure. Six Months’ Respite. The Associated Press correspondent in Washington insists that “it gives the United States six months’ in which to make up its mind about he em; bargo. and also gives Japan a similar period to alter her course. Officials hope it will have a beneficial effect in bringing Japan to her political senses so that an embargo will not be necessary.” The Washington correspondent of the United Pi’ess says; “Abrogation will put the United States not only in a position tc impose an embargo on war materials, but also to impose virtually limitless economic penalties. Japan would be in a position to retaliate, but since she is less’ self-sufficient than the United States experts believe, she would suffer far more in a struggle of embargos and trade restrictions.”

provide against special import or export cmbargos .against one or other of the two countries. Sudden and Dramatic.

The announcement of abrogation came with great suddenness and apparently w,as not known until the last minute to all but a few of the most important figures in the Government.

While the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull had consulted President Roosevelt at White House during the day, the secretary would only say he “had discussed a variety of matters.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee had spent the day , discussing the resolution submitted to the Senate on July 18 by Senator A. H. Vanden berg requiring the United States to renounce the treaty and reconvene the Brussels Conference to determine whether Japan was violating the NinePower Treaty pledging territorial in-1 tegrity to China. The committee came to no con-1 elusion whether to vote it out, but decided to discuss the matter during the week. The Anglo-Japanese agreement, however, appeared to have given the whole matter new urgency, although some Senators, notably Mr. W. E. Borah, advised that it should be more carefully studied because of the Anglo-Japanese agreement. Face Slapping Resented. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times" telegraphs: “It had been the expectation of Administration officials that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would act on the Vandenberg proposal today. Officials would have been receptive to an expression of opinion in view of the diplomatic retreat of Britain before Japan and the latest incidents of Japanese soldiers slapping the faces of Americans in China, presumably in a calculated effort ordered from above to bring America into disrepute in the Far East.

What Is Actual Position,. The news of the abrogation came so late and with such surprising suddenness that both editorial comment and expressions of Congressional opinion—the latter so necessary for backing up the President’s policy—-were generally lacking. However, from leading figures in the Senate Foreign A ffairs Committee, which apparently debated so vainly all day, while Mr Hull and Mr Roosevelt waited until the last moment before releasing their bolt, there were some significant observations. Senator Vandenberg said he was glad Mr Hull and Mr Roosevelt did what they did.

“Japan now has six months in which to justify the continuation of friendly relations by America,” he added. "I expect the net result will be a new agreement which vindicates American rights.”

Considerable Confusion,

“Later, when it became known that the Government had abrogated the treaty, there ape.ars to have been con siderable confusion in the State department, which apparently wished the fact kept secret until all details for publication could be decided with Tokio.

Senator Pittman said: “It is a-wise’ and justifiable act. You can hardly expect our Government to conform to al requirements of amity under one treaty while the other Government does not conform to all the requirements of amity under another (the Nine Power Treaty).” Text of 1911 Treaty. The text of the 1911 treaty between American and Japan has 18 articles. The first assures residence and protection of citizens of each in the country of the other and article two refers similarly to buildings, dwellings and factories of the nationals of each. Article 3 provides for consulate, and four for “reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation.” Five gives most-favoured-nation tariff treatment, and six freedom from so-called transit duties. Seven permits corporations to operate in each other’s country, and eight permits the , use oftheir own ships to carry mer-. chandise to the country of the other. Articles nine to 12 grant most-fav-oured-nation treatment ta each other’s shipping and mail boats, and 13 exempts coastwise trade of each country from the treaty. Article 14 assures to each other most-favoured-nation treatment in commerce-and navigation privileges that may be granted a third Power in future, and 16 grants patent and trade mark rights, while 17 and 18 provide the method for ratification of the Treaty, renewability after 12 years’ and abrogation on six months’ notice.

“While six months must elapse before abrogation under the terms of the treaty, it paves the way for action on Senator Key Pittman’s ..resolution of July 17 for the application of an embargo against Japan of arms, munitions and essential war materials such as iron and steel.

“When the Senate Foreign Relations Committee decided to postpone action on the V.andenberg resolution today, Mr Roosevelt and Mr Hull decided to 'act forthwith. They appeared to think that further delay might be taken by Japan as evidence of timidity or divided counsels between the executive and the legislative branches of the Government. Executive Behind Embargo. “The implications of Mr Rooesvelt’s action ai'e that the executive is behind the Pittman embargo resolution. “It signifies that the United States is prepared to follow infringement by Japan of her rights in the Far East with retaliatory action. “It declares to Japan and the world that whereas Britain, by the recent agreement over the issues at Tientsin, may have receded, such is not the course of the United States. “It means that if Japan, by her present campaign of face-slapping of Americans by her soldiers in China, is deliberately seeking to make the United States ‘lose face’ in the Far East, it might as well be known that the United States intends to assert its prestige vigorously and meet Japan with the only language its militarydominated Government understands.