Japan’s Fear Of Russia

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 241, 8 July 1938, Page 13

Japan’s Fear Of Russia

Sir, —The rather unconvincing cable about a statement made to the Domei News Agency, Tokio, by a certain Lushkov said to be the former chief of State of the Far Eastern Political Department of Soviet Russia has been pounced upon with remarkable alacrity by “Pacifist,” whose letter of July 6 defends the Japanese war against China. In reply to “Pacifist,” I would point out that the other side to the story has yet to be heard. However, is there any justification for having confidence in news about China or Soviet Russia issuing from a Japanese source? Japan is at war with China and her hostility to the U.S.S.R. cannot be in doubt. Fascist espionage activity is not an uncommon phenomenon and Japanese spies and agents are known to have operated in the U.S.S.R. Lushkov admitted collaboration with the alleged Stalin terrorism. Assuming the truth of the Stalin terror, we are asked to believe the word of one of the terrorists who participated in the “massacre of thousands.” If, on the other hand, Lushkov was in the service of Japan as a spy, his word can be regarded as even less reliable. “Pacifist” mentions “unbiased and correctly informed sources.” What are these sources? If “Soviet Russia had instigated a provocative situation so desperate to the interests of Japan in China . . . that the Japanese were compelled to take militant action against the Chinese,” why, indeed, is China singled out for attack and not the U.S.S.R. itself? With regard to the “menace of Bolshevist terrorism” which ie used. by Japan to excuse her invasion of China, is it possible that the Japanese are helping to rid the world of this alleged menace when they bomb Chinese women and children 'in cities and villages far removed from the formerly Soviet districts? If- all the Chinese are infected with the Red virus, apparently Japan’s contribution toward saving the world from Bolshevism will be to exterminate the Chinese race. , “Pacifist” is the most abnormal pacifist I have yet known. Pacifists object to violence on any grounds and least of all on anyhing resembling Japan's flimsy pretexts for her merciless war on the Chinese people.-I am, etc, Wellington, July 7.

Sir,—With your permission I wish to comment on the letter headed “The Bob shevist Menace” and signed “Pacifist."Your correspondent is apparently some thing of a Japanese or at least pro-Japa-nese, and although he pretends he dislikes war he considers that the war in the Far East is the result of Russian machination, and that such Russian chicanery should be removed. . his removing process is that democratic countries through the League of Nations should make war on Russia, and all because your correspondent's friends are finding it hard to swallow the mouthful they have so far bitten oil China. Standing on no ceremonies the writer realises, as everyone in this country does, that the menace to our country and the Empire is from the yellow shadow rising over the Pacific, and not from, the Russian peoples. The nnti-British attitude of Japanese rulers at the’ present time proves it. Flooding the world’s markets with cheap manufactures which are nothing but imitations, must result in the destruction of Western enterprises and the lowering of the Western standard of life. If Russia is helping China in her hour of need who is to say she should not? No other but the Japanese aggressors and their friends would assert it.— l am, etc.. J. A. McF. Wanganui, July 6.