The Auckland Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1933. EXIT JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 74, 29 March 1933, Page 6

The Auckland Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1933. EXIT JAPAN.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs ratistanct, For the future in ihe distavce, And the good that ve can dt*.

Japan's decision to leave the League raises several problems. In the first place, Japan was one of the four original Powers to occupy a permanent seat on the Council. A fifth seat was assigned to the United States, and this seat is still reserved, but the failure of the United States to join the League has left it .vacant. Japan represented Asia, and France, Italy and Britain represented Europe. Now Europe will have four permanent seats, since one has been assigned to Germany. This ■will strengthen the belief that the League is predominantly European in its outlook, and will further alienate the South Americar. republics, which .have always felt that their interests were subordinated to those of Europe. There will be the further question as to what Power is to have the permanent seat vacated by Japan. Prance is almost certain to put forward a claim for Poland. This, however, would give France a predominating position, since Poland is France's closest ally. Such a claim would therefore be sure to be resisted by Germany and Italy. Spain has hardly any claim to be considered a great Power entitling her to a permanent seat, and she might be suspected of being amenable to the influence of France. If the seat is not filled, then the four Powers named in Mussolini's proposed pact will be predominant on the Council. This may cause dissatisfaction to the smaller States.

The resignation of Japan is likely to give strength to the movement for establishing regional groupings in place of the League. It has been proposed that there should be a Pan-American League to include all the South American States as well as those of Central and North America. Asia would have a similar group, in which Japan would doubtless take the lead, and the League would be left to deal with European problems. This would, of course, destroy the idea of the League as a world society of nations, while it would preserve the idea of co-operation among the nations grouped together regionally.

A further problem is offered by the fact that Japan holds mandated areas in the Pacific. She has announced her intention of retaining these areas. This will mean practical annexation, as the League will no longer be' able to exercise any control over the mandated islands. Germany is bound under these circumstances to put in a claun for the return of Some of her lost colonies. It is possible also that Italy will put in a claim for some colonial territory. Hitler and Mussolini will probably point out that if a Power which has ceased to belong to the League is allowed to hold a mandate, their claim as League members is far stronger than the claim of Japan.