"Few Reasons"

Last month the frail body of Hirosi Saito, Japan's late Ambassador to the U. S., arrived at Yokohama in state on the U. S. cruiser Astoria. Japan's people were touched. Last week the U. S. battle fleet eased itself through the Panama Canal, sailed into the Pacific, rationed and ammunitioned for long-range action. Japan's officialdom appeared touched. Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita made agreeable sounds to the effect that Japan's partnership in the Berlin-Rome axis was for purely anti-Communist reasons: Japan wanted no part in attacking the Democracies (see p. 18).

This information was the more interesting because last week Foreign Relations Chairman Key Pittman--after weeks of outcry by friends of peace and of China, ranging from Elder Statesman Henry Stimson to Author Pearl (The Good Earth) Buck--laid before the Senate a joint resolution authorizing President Roosevelt to embargo all exports (except agricultural products) to Japan, and all imports from her. Reason: the Japanese Government flagrantly violated the Nine Power Treaty, the most solemn treaty ever entered into by the U. S. and Japan. To be sure, this has been true for several years. Senator Pittman thought up his noble Resolution only when it was hammered into him that his blanket cash-&-carry law, with which he proposes to replace that part of the Neutrality Act which expired last week, would serve only to help Japan at China's expense, just as the old Neutrality had done.

Because of the Son of Heaven's birthday (Hirohito was 38 last week) official Japan reserved comment on Senator Pittman's proposal, which would indeed be a one-two pair of punches to Japan's military economy. But the new direction of Japan's diplomacy was further clarified in a speech at Los Angeles last week by the man with whom Japan replaced dying Hirosi Saito last December.

Ambassador Saito more or less endeared himself to the U. S. by drinking Scotch whisky and playing poker. Ambassador Kensuke Horinouchi's technique is even more bland, more thoroughly Americanized than that of his late classmate at the Imperial University. His conversation, like his countenance, is smooth and affable. A 28-year career man, aged 53, he was embassy secretary in London during the War, worked on the peace treaties afterwards. He was consul-general in Manhattan from 1931 to 1934, with homes in Greenwich, Conn, and on Park Avenue. Golf is his game; drinking and smoking are not among his vices. Both he and his wife (childless) are Christians. It is now fashionable in Japan to exhibit Chinese culture. The Horinouchis go in for paintings and porcelain. They are sophisticated in Occidental music.

At the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Kensuke Horinouchi (his name means: "In the Moat") smiled his toothiest smile last week and said:

"What is impressive is the fact that two great nations have preserved an unbroken friendship for many years. . . . Japan sees few reasons for an end to this peace. . . .

"The common benefits of trade alone should be enough to guarantee this. American-Japanese commerce survived the depression years in good shape, even reaching some new peaks. Except for the British Empire, we are your best customer."

Later, off the rostrum, Ambassador Horinouchi smiled some more and said:

"A few years ago we entered into a strictly anti-Comintern pact. . . . It is in no way aimed against the world's democracies.

"As for military occupation of China, I believe our major task is about completed.* It is probable that we will not maintain a very large army there. Normal trade will be resumed as soon as the military operations . . . are concluded."

*The Chinese think differently. Their troops were last week on the offensive in southeast Hupeh, almost captured Nanchang in Kiangsi Province. China's reborn air force last week raided Japanese bases in Shansi, downed four enemy planes.

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