WHY AMERICA MUST STAND FIRM IN THE FAR EAST 137

subject which they know nothing whatever about, thereby con-
tributing ammunition to the Japanese military and extremists who are
stronger than they have been for many a day. The idea that a great
body of liberal thought lying just beneath the surface since 1931
would be sufficiently strong to emerge and assume control with a
little foreign encouragement is thoroughly mistaken. The liberal
thought is there, but it is inarticulate and largely impotent, and in
all probability will remain so for some time to come.

Perhaps this gives the impression that we at the Embassy are
developing something of an " anti-Japanese " complex. This is not
the case. One can dislike and disagree with certain members of a
family without necessarily feeling hostility to the family itself. For
me there are no finer people in the world than the best type of
Japanese. I am rather inclined to place Hirota among them ; if he
could have his way unhampered by the military I believe that he
would steer the country into safer and saner channels.

One of these friends once sadly remarked to us : " We Japanese
are always putting our worst foot foremost, and we are too
proud to explain ourselves." Theirs has been and is a " bungling
diplomacy.59 They habitually play their cards badly. While it is true
that the military and the extremists are primarily responsible for the
" bungling diplomacy " of Japan, the Japanese as a race tend to be
inarticulate, more at home in action than with words. But the
military and the extremists know little and care little about Japan's
relations with other countries, and it is the desire of people like
Shiratori, Amau, and other Government officials to enhance their
own prestige at home and to safeguard their future careers by stand-
ing in well with the military that brings about much of the trouble.
Perhaps we should be grateful that they so often give their hand away
in advance.

But all this does not make us less sympathetic to the better elements
in Japanese life or in any sense " anti-Japanese." Japan is a country
of paradoxes and extremes, of great wisdom and of great stupidity,
an apt illustration of which may be found in connection with
the naval conversations ; while the naval authorities and the press
have been stoutly maintaining that Japan cannot adequately defend
her shores with less than parity, the press and the public, in articles,
speeches, and interviews, have at the same time been valiantly
boasting that the Japanese Navy is to-day stronger than the American
Navy and could easily defeat us in case of war. In such an atmo-
sphere it is difficult, very difficult, for a foreigner to keep a detached
and balanced point of view. We in the Embassy are making that
effort, I hope with success, and in the meantime about all we can
do is to keep the boat from rocking dangerously. Constructive
work is at present impossible. Our efforts are concentrated on the
thwarting of destructive influences.

In view of all these considerations, I have little hesitation in
reiterating and emphasizing the potential dangers of the situation
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