Americas Stake In The Far East

Excerpt from America's Stake in the Far East Many who are alert to the present world situation feel that the Far East constitutes at this time one of the areas of extraordinary strain and that the whole group of issues which make up the complexus often designated as the Far Eastern problem requires a widespread, dispassionate, and understanding discussion in America. It is not easy, amid the engrossing interests and duties that are close at hand, for us to see clearly the various issues involved in such a problem, and especially to see those issues in their interlocking aspects. Whatever thinking we might be able to do about the problem, moreover, is discouraged by propaganda which tends to confuse us. Consequently, many assume that such questions must be left entirely to the experts, in the belief that there is no chance for the formation of an intelligent and effective public opinion with respect to the larger world problems. America's attitude on international affairs, however, should be the concern of every citizen, and it must be possible to present these subjects in ways which will lead to illuminating and profitable discussion and ultimately to trustworthy social judgments. As will be discovered on examination, this book is not a treatise on the Far Eastern problem. It consists simply of questions to open up those issues involved which are likely to be of most interest to the American public, the questions in each chapter being followed by reference quotations setting forth the essential facts and the principal viewpoints held with reference to the major questions raised. To read through the questions and reference material would provide some basis for the personal opinion of an individual. If such thinking can be still further clarified by discussion and comparison of personal viewpoints in a group or forum with other individuals who are also trying to find their way, more progress can be made. Two chapters might well have been added to the book: one on the Japanese problem in Hawaii, and the other on the interrelation of American interests in the Far East and those of other predominantly Anglo-Saxon national groups, such as Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, self-governing commonwealths of the British Empire whose territories border on or are in the Pacific. Every day's newspaper brings to notice new or shifting aspects of the Far Eastern situation, and it is probable that a few questions and quotations will be out of date before the volume is long in print. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.