It would be highly improper for an outsider to attempt to intervene in the lively passages, of the dispute between Americans In Shanghai and their President in Washing~ on. The third party who intrudes on a family row usually gets the brickbats from both sides, Yet since Americans here have played so. prominent and active a part in keeping the fabric of the Settlement running despite the unprecedented strain of the present upheaval,.it is impossible for British Shanghailanders to withhold sympathy from their American fellow citizens. - Moreover, as these columns testified, three days ago, Anglo-American ce-operation has been a Valuable asset to Shanghai as a whole. There is, ground for apprehension and anxiety regarding the dangers and difficulties ahead. That is not taken by Shanghailanders as slying valid reason for deserting the city Which owes so much to British and American effort in ce-operation with Chinese over a term of many years. Nor should Japanese citizens be forgotten. At the moment they fare subject to much embarrassment owing to the divorce between the policy of their Government andthe interests which they share ju Shanghai with foreigners and Chinese. Their tragedy is appreciated for they too, in' the course of building up associations here, have come to regard Shanghai as a. symbol-city of international significance. Ironically enough the national-fist dominance of the policy which has plunged Shanghai in disaster seems to strengthened Shanghai's sense of inter~ national ce-operation. The Japanese are precluded from active expression of that view at the moment owing to circumstances which, had they hod their will, they would have prevented. British, Americans, French and other nationals with Chinese' citizens have by various ways shown the liveliness of their faith in Shanghai. The ties which keep them thus together are strong and do not necessarily betoken any lack of virility in their own individual patriotism—rather the The State Department has taken steps to reassure Americans who were apt. to be downcast at the apparent intention underly ing President Roosevelt's words. Americans themselves will be the best Judges of the issue involved. 1 is plain that, just as the British Government has made it clear that it will not allow the Sino-Japanese conflict to embroil the British nation, so the President has to assure domestic opinion that the United States of America will keep herself free of hostilities. The pressure of left-wing views on the administration at Washington may gain inspiration from resentment against Japanese aggression but it will go no further. rather is inclined to advocate removal of any conerete sign of imperialist activity on foreign Sell. In that sense the vague—and unjustified reference to the abolition of extrater-Hitoriality emerges. The course which President Roosevelt has taken by authorizing the despatch of reinforcements to strengthen the American garrison is obviously inconsistent with the idea of abandoning American in-{erests in China to their fate. Nevertheless it is natural that he should be concerned to limit the objective of this policy. Semi-oficial renouncements suggest that that is all that can be reasonably read into a_ statement which, to say the least of it, caused consider able heart burning among' Americans here, Basically it is evident that America cannot Any such course would inevitably prejudice problems which have been created by. the!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.