Oriental Bath Overdue 

• 1939 
• Ritchie, Norman 
• Drawing 
• Historical item 

5985429

Drawings / paintings

Oriental Bath Overdue

44 x 34.5 cm

1939

Original editorial cartoon on card in ink for the Boston Post, 1939, shows a stern Uncle Sam telling a Japanese soldier ‘You’ve got to come with clean hands to find an open door here’, this in response to ‘Japan appeal for new trade treaty with USA’. The Japanese is armed, has blood on his hands, and ‘bomb outrages’ and ‘ruthless war’ are the result. In the background Japanese aircraft pound China. After many fruitless protests to Japan about its actions against foreign and particularly American interests in China following the invasion of 1937, the American government decided to end the American-Japanese Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, which would then make it possible for them to impose an economic embargo on Japan. The period of notice of termination of the treaty being six months, Japan was in effect given that time to modify her behaviour in China or take the economic consequences. The Japanese did not do so, the treaty was allowed to lapse and, it could be argued, it was only a matter of time before Japan and the USA clashed in Asia. Card size 44 x 34.5 cm (17.5 x 14 inch), image size 37 x 29 cm, signed lower left, caption in pencil in upper border, dated 10/24/39 in lower border. In very good condition.