The Press MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1934. Japan and China

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21146, 23 April 1934, Page 10

The Press MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1934. Japan and China

The international sensation of the week has been the proclamation by the Japanese Government's foreign spokesman cf what amounts to a Japanese Monroe Doctrine for China. In effect, other countries are told that, while they can trade with China, they must not interfere in Chinese politics or assist the Chinese Government to strengthen its military forces.

We object (runs the statement) to concerted technical and financial assistance to China, which would cause endles? complications, though we do not object to individual economic activities when they are plainly beneficial. We are in a position to maintain peace, and may act when circumstances warrant, using diplomacy or force according to specific cases. ... If the League of Nations interferes it might necessitate our action. Military advisers, munitions, and also possibly railway and air force schemes, are objectionable.

Though the bluntness with which it is announced offends the traditions of European diplomacy, this new policy is not unexpected. It is, indeed, the logical conclusion of a trend in Far Eastern affairs which has been unmistakable since 1931. It is safe to assume, however, that although it has been stated in general terms, it is directed mainly at the Soviet Union, at present the only power, Japan herself excepted, which interferes to any large extent in Chinese political and military affairs. The other powers are not required to take official notice of the new policy, since it has not been notified to them by the usual diplomatic procedure; and it is probable that they will not notice it officially until its practical application affects their interests. That saves them from an argument which might be embarrassing, for it must be remembered that the Monroe Doctrine, which is no less immoral from the point of view of national rights than Japan's new policy towards China, has been virtually incorporated into the Covenant of the League of Nations. There is a feeling in Japan, not entirely unjustified, that morality is being preached at her by reformed thieves who have not even had the grace to renrrpce their loot. Nevertheless, In over tangled the ethics of the Fi'.' 'tion may be. the powers—and particularly Great Britain and the United States—would be wise not to ignore this further indication that the treaty settlement reached at Washington in 1921 is out-of-date and witnout much practical significance. Nothing is more certain than that, unless a new Far Eastern agreement is concluded, to which Russia is a party, China will before very long be the theatre of the most destructive war in her history. The immediate obstacle to the conclusion of any international agreement with Japan covering the Far East is the refusal of the powers to recognise Manchukuo. As we pointed out a few days ago, the doctrine of non-recognition, as applied to Manchukuo, has outlived its usefulness and given rise to an unreal and, for Great Britain and the United States, somewhat undignified situation. It is therefore foolish to allow it to block the way to an international attempt to solve the problem of China.

The Need for Books In a speech at the Commemoration Day 1 unction at Canterbury College on Friday, Dr. Bight took up and amplified Mr Hector Bolitho's remark that New Zealand was a good place to live in for al. except writers, artists, and scientists. By writers Mr Bolitho probably meant novelists and poets; but, as Dr. Hight pointed out, the term could in this case justly be extended to cover historians, economists, and sociologists. All workers whose material is ideas sutler disabilities in New Zealand; and when Dr. Hight drew attention to the country's poor library facilities lie put his finger on perhaps the greatest of those disabilities. It is, for instance, somewhat remarkable that a city the size of Christchurch. should have no reference library worth the name. Readers of current fiction have at least a dozen libraries where they can get the latest detective story. But the serious student of politics, history, or economics must buy what he wants or starve intellectually. The reference section at the Canterbury Public Library is practically useless, and even the Canterbury College Library is miserably inadequate. Christchurch citizens have lately shown commendable zeal in collecting books for despatch to the Chatham Islands. They should realise that, as far as concerns serious literature. they themselves are little better off than the Chatham Islanders. The trouble is not wholly, or even mainly, lack of funds. As "The Press" has many times pointed out, the Christchurch library system, with its many independent, self-contained suburban libraries, is unnecessarily extravagant. If it could be centralised, as the Auckland system is centralised, so that the central library acts as a feeder

to the smaller institutions, the total outlay for the purchase of books would be substantially reduced. It would then be possible to establish and maintain at the central library a reasonably comprehensive and up-to-date reference section.

Australian Air Line's I Success | The choice of Qantas Empiro Airways, Ltd., to fly the Empire air mail from Singapore to Brisbane seems certain to give Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand as fine an airline as could be operated, for the company has everything needed for success—enterprise, adequate financial resources, experience, and a connexion not only at a junction aerodrome, but in the board room with the Empire's other lines. In Australia justifiable pride in the achievements of purely Australian air-line operators, and perhaps a suspicion that things were being made easy for the new half-English company, have produced an unjustifiable reaction against it. but any feeling that there may be at the moment is certain to be removed when the effect of the contract stipulations that Australian personnel must be used as far as possible, is seen. Queensland and Northern Territory Air Services. Ltd. (Qantas), though its operations have perhaps not been as much before the public as those of West Australian Airways, has a record of fine service over almost as many years as there has been commercial aviation in the Empire. Imperial Airways, Ltd., which is the other half of Qantas Empire Airways, brings to the new route the money that is needed to develop it, as well, of course, as its full share of experience in opening up airways over difficult territory. The effect of the long purse can already be seen in the order by the firm of the new four-engined de Ilavilland machine, perhaps the best commercial aeroplane in the world, specially for this line. The speed with which the order for this machine was placed as» soon as the conditions of the contract were known, and the knowledge of the route to which its specifications testify, show that enterprise is not lacking. Most important of all, tht* share of Imperial Airways in the company will ensure smooth working right along the route from Croydon to Brisbane, and will enable improvements to be made smoothly and efficiently ns technical advances and the lessons of actual operation make them possible. Imperial Airways, Ltd., has a monopoly of British Government subsidies. It has recently formed a merger company with the four great British railways to operate internal air lines in Great Britain. It operates the two great British lines, from London to Cape Town, and from London to Singapore—from Karachi onward through its Indian affiliate. Now that it is extending right through to Brisbane it has a position in Empire transport that cannot be challenged, a position to which it has earned the right by wise, careful, and businesslike progress. It has been criticised because it does not advance swiftly enough, but Sir George Pearcc's statement that the new service from London to Brisbane will take less than a fortnight, when it could under the contract have been much slower, shows that Imperial Airways is recognising the benefit of speed. The next question is how long Imperial Airways will be stopped from bringing another Dominion into its network by the 1200 miles of water that separate us from Australia, or whether' an Australia-New Zealand line is regarded merely as a feeder service to be operated by an independent company. In the meantime New Zealand can be satisfied that the £SOOO which it is spending on the subsidy for the Croydon-Bris-bane line will be used to '.he best possible advantage in carrying the Dominion mails as swiftly and safely as any, over comparable routes, in the world.