CAUTION URGED ON JAPAN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21866, 20 August 1936, Page 11

CAUTION URGED ON JAPAN

Imperialism in Trade Guise Alleged DIVERSION OF WEALTH TO MILITARY ENDS I * (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received August 19, 7.30 p.m.) YOSEMITE (California), August 18. The relatively academic tone of the discussions at the conference of the International Institute of Pacific Relations changed to sharp realities to-day as Mr A. V. Alexander, head of the British delegation, uttered a pointed warning that Japan, in her headlong trade expansion, might force several other powers to combine against her.. In a long statement, Mr Alexander' emphasised Japan’s right to expand industrially in the interests of higher living standards for her people, but presented comprehensive figures to indicate that more and more of the wealth created was going for military purposes. There was reason to believe, he said, that a “mystical urge,” in the form of an imperialistic motive, was one of the main dynamics of the Japanese trade drive. - The Japanese replied with a statement that Britain and America were essential sources of the materials needed for industry and conflict with either of these two powers was inconceivable, but “because of geographical propinquity, fear of communism and other reasons, she cannot look in the same light on China and the Soviet.”