BRITISH POLICY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 249, 29 July 1940, Page 5

BRITISH POLICY.

THE JAPANESE VIEWPOINT. ENDING OF CHINA WAR. LONDON, July 8. The Tokio correspondent of “Tho Times” Avrites: “An eminent Japanese, who is a. lifelong friend of' England, greeted me yesterday morning with the tag, . 'Whom , the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.’ “His remark,” says the correspondent, “illustrates the depression and alarm cieated by the manner ill Aidiich British policy in the Far East is_playing into the hands of Britain’s enemies. “British ..residents here are arranging their affairs; yet, if a break AA’ith Japan becomes a probability, rather than a possibility, it Avill not be because the Japanese Government is seeking it, but because British policy refuses to face realities.

“The foremost reality is tlie Japanese Government’s position. Non-involve-ment in the European Avar is an imnortant Japanese policy; but it is coupled Avith an infinitely more important policy the intention to bring tho China Avar to an early conclusion. Any British policy frustrating that Japanese policy must incur the enmity of any Japanese Government. “German diplomacy is sparing no effort to persuade- Japan to follow Italy. A poAverful, though not, yet dominant Japanese party Avishes to join the Axis Powers. The interval between. _ another Anglo-Japanese dispute and active Japanese association with the A.xis PoAvers will he short. “By closing the Burma road Britain Avill forfeit the friendship of a Chinese general avlio cannot assist our present need,” says the correspondent. “By.-rg* fusal to close it we will almost •,certainly risk adding the Japanese Fleet to our enemies.”