JAPAN’S DESTINY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22443, 2 July 1938, Page 18

JAPAN’S DESTINY

MOTIVES AND OBJECTS

Japan Reaches Out. By Willard Price. Angus and Robertson Ltd. 323 pp. (10/6.)

Pacific Scene. By Harry I. Greenwall. Nicholson and Watson Ltd, 301 pp (8/6 net.) Through Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd.

Japan in China: Her Motives and Aims, By K. K- Kawakami. John Murray. 188 pp. (5/- net.)

Mr Willard Price, who writes the weightiest of these three books, is an American journalist, an alert, intelligent observer, a skilful reporter. His attitude is, rather surprisingly, that of an admirer and defender so far removed from impartiality that he does not even condemn the wrong of Japanese aggression in China. He finds that China was (or thought she was) ready to “try her strength against Japan, last year, and that China proceeded to do so. This goes a great way further than is necessary even for a writer who is convinced that China needs Japanese correction, reorganisation, and control, and has persuaded himself that she may emerge from her ordeal all the better for it. It also goes a great way further than a man need go because he discerns the “spiritual flame” behind Japanese words and deeds. Mr Price hopes that the materialistic “aims” of the “Japanese crusade” may be modified or transcended, that this spiritual flame may burn brighter; and he expects Japan then to do the world “a real service” by helping to break_ down its “petty nationalism.” It is not easy to see firm ground for the hopes. Mr Price himself defines the “crusade” above. China represents only a phase in the movement that began 45 years ago in Formosa, swept on to Korea, then to the mandated islands and to Manchukuo, and now is headed south, to the Philippines and beyond . . • “to face Britain.’ This is a very interesting, strongly argued book, but one which will perpetually puzzle many readers by the inconsistency between its evidences and its optimism. Mr Greenwall, in “Pacific Scene, fully agrees with Mr Price in his account of the objects of Japanese policy. But he takes a gloomier view of the facts. He sees Japan encouraged, as well as directly aided, by the disunion, or at least the want of a common policy, among the nations with large interests in the East, while at the same time she is strengthened by the support of Germany and Italy. A grand opportunity to check Japan was lost in 1931. If any check to her ambitions is still possible, it depends on early action. But it may be that Mr Greenwall makes too little of the great difficulties, economic and military and political, which Japan is already facing. Mr Kawakami’s book is about as good a proof as could be looked for of the weakness of Japan’s case. He is in every way qualified to make the best of it; and the best is bad. It is only one example of many that

Mr Kawakami writes of China and Communism as if the China‘of 1937 were the China of 10 years ago. Many of his statements are entirely unsupported. One of his pleas or enticements Will offend his British readers: he suggests, very plainly, that it would pay Britain handsomely if the pressure of Japanese competition in her oversea markets were eased by Japan’s being enabled to concentrate on the exploitation of China.