"Uchida Doctrine"

INTERNATIONAL

"Uchida Doctrine"

What the U. S. is to other American countries because of the Monroe Doctrine, Japan may become to the Far East. Last week her Doctrine, only partially complete as yet, was thrust boldly forward at Tokyo by Foreign Minister Count

Yasuya Uchida in what Japanese called the strongest policy speech ever made by a Foreign Minister to the Imperial Diet.

"Any plan for erecting the edifice of peace in the Far East," keynoted Count Uchida, "should be based upon recognition that the constructive force of Japan is the mainstay of tranquillity in this part of the world."

Stopping just short of formal proclamation, the Foreign Minister declared:

P: That Japan's custodianship of Manchukuo (i. e. of formerly Chinese territory northeast of the Great Wall) is "a new and effective guarantee that has been established for the maintenance of peace in the Far East" with "universal advantage thereby accruing to the peoples of the world" including "Chinese themselves." P: That Japan constitutes herself the defender of the Far East against Soviet encroachment, for "should the Red movement . . . gain in strength as a result of Chino-Russian rapprochement that would be a serious menace to peace in the Orient, against which Japan must certainly be on guard."

P:That Japan finds the Great Powers' doctrine of the "open door" in the Far East to have been nullified by events: "We see that all countries are busily engaged in erecting artificial trade barriers. ... As a result of this policy of the closed door, which is now practiced every- where in trade and industry, the universally cherished principle of freedom of trade has been entirely reversed."

Thus the world was presented last week with a "Uchida Doctrine"--basically a pretension by the Japanese Government that they are competent to judge, without assistance from the West, what is best for the East. In Geneva last week Count Uchida's diplomats applied his principle. Acting on instructions from Tokyo, they refused point blank a formula for conciliation between China and Japan worked out by the League Committee of Nineteen who proposed to set up a League board of arbiters on which the U. S. and Russia would sit by invitation. Japan, so her Geneva diplomats said, remains convinced that she is right, refuses to be judged.

"Finish! Finish!" Dramatically, two days later, the Tokyo government was interpellated on Count Uchida's speech by Deputy Hitoshi Ashida. a seasoned diplomat and often spokesman on foreign affairs for the Seiyukai Party, largest in the Diet.

"I demand of the Government whether Japan has a definite foreign policy!" screamed Mr. Ashida, well knowing that he may be assassinated for his rashness. "The public is growing fearful that we are being dragged blindly by the Army in an uncharted, pitch-black abyss. I appeal to the War Minister to forsake the notion that the Japanese Army is almighty!"

Flabbergasted by this thrust, Foreign Minister Uchida could think of no better retort than, "Our Foreign Policy is conducted with the will of the people and the co-operation of the Army."

"But the Army is not dragging the Foreign Office!" excitedly shouted War Minister Araki who is popularly supposed to do precisely that. "The Army has never been arbitrary. The Army is one with the national spirit! Preparedness, my friends . . ." and General Araki launched into a harangue on preparedness which lasted until members of the Diet burst into nervous, cackling laughter, some crying, "Finish! Finish!"

Thus the fact was proven once again that all Japan is not behind the government (see p. 19).

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