The Waikato Times SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1940 AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21218, 14 September 1940, Page 6

The Waikato Times SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1940 AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC

President Roosevelt’s announcement that the maintenance of the status quo in the Far East was a matter of importance to the United States may soon have its meaning elucidated. Fighting between Chinese and Japanese is reported to have broken out in Indo-China, and the French Indo-China authorities are said to have made some sort of appeal to the United States. Chiang Kai-shek some time ago stated that if the Japanese invaded Indo-China the Chinese Government would t'eel compelled to resist to prevent the Japanese gaining an unfair advantage. That is what has apparently occurred.

The Governor-General of Indo-China has taken hope from the American declaration and has been resisting the Japanese demands as far as he dare. He has sent three telegrams to Washington. It is believed he has emphasised the seriousness of Indo-China’s position, “ especially as 95 per cent, of the population is against the Vichy Government and in favour of General de Gaulle.” The United States’ reaction to the appeal might therefore have a strong influence upon the future allegiance of Indo-China, and is of particular interest to the British Empire. If the United States refuses to intervene any further, or delays action unduly, the Governor of Indo-China may be compelled to give way completely to the Japanese demands, which would virtually place Indo-China in a position of subservience to Japan.

The American attitude towards the Far East has not been sufficiently decisive, but it is still capable of restraining aggressive action. At one moment it appears as if the United States intends to interest itself closely in the Far East, and again as though Far Eastern developments are a matter of minor concern. The presidential election campaign is probably influencing the foreign policy, and the sooner that contest is out of the way the better it will be. Both candidates are attempting to show that they intend to keep America out of the war, and thus any semblance of belligerence is considered unwise. But the testing time of American foreign policy seems to have arrived, and it is unlikely that a decision with regard to the Far East can be postponed until after the election.

Without going to war the United States can, if it wishes, profoundly influence the whole position in the Pacific area, and the time for a clear-cut policy is now. If the Government at Washington stands by its declaration regarding the maintenance of the status quo, aggression will be restrained. But if the United States continues to vacillate, or if it withdraws wholly .from the Pacific, there are other forces which will be tempted to fill the vacancy. For that reason American foreign policy is becoming of ever greater interest Zealand and Australia. A “ standstill ” arrangement among all the Powers interested in the Pacific is the only fair and honourable policy while forces clash on the other side of the world, and it is in the interests of the United States as well as of the British Empire that the status quo should be preserved. The United States has a very onerous duty to perform.