THE OPEN DOOR

Evening Star, Issue 23175, 26 January 1939, Page 20

THE OPEN DOOR

A SCHEME TO CLOSE IT JAPAN APPLES PRESSURE THREATS TO FRENCH It is now generally admitted that the Japanese Note to the United States Government of November 18 was intended as an official hint that Japan will no longer respect the Nine-Power Treaty of Washington and consequently the policy of the Open Door in China, said the ‘ Manchester Guardian 1 editorially in December. The Japanese Press, which made no secret of this at the time, was comically indignant that its publication should have been received so calmly in Britain and the United States, where, in truth, it was not at first understood. The ‘ Kokumin Shimbun ’ spoke of “ deliberate attempts to disregard realities in East Asia ” now that Japan’s position had been “ clearly enunciated.” The Japanese Foreign Minister is reported to have spoken nmre bluntly to the British and American Ambassadors in Tokio. Meanwhile, the Japanese Government is pressing on with its plans for the “ reconstruction ” of China plans which are quite clearly inconsistent with the policy of the Open Door. These plans have not yet been officially announced, but again the Japanese Press is not reticent. Their essence is to be the formation of a “ Japan-Mancbukuo-China economic bloc ” in which foreign Powers will be allowed to participate only on conditions. There will he “ equal opportunity ” for foreign Powers, but equal only after Japan has taken first place. “NATURAL” MODIFICATIONS. As Mr Shiratori, newly-appointed Ambassador to Italy, said on leaving Tokio (Mr Shiratori learnt the art of.

plain speaking in Berlin); “Bights and interests of third Powers in China that are obstacles in the way of establishing a new China and a new East Asian order must naturally be modified by the new China Government.” “ Naturally ” is good. It is, of course, one-thing for Japan to denounce the Nine-Power Treaty and quite another for her to get away with it. The United States Government is known to be particularly determined that she shall not do so. and it is obvious that both Britain and the United States are in a position to-take the retaliatory measures. The Japanese are well aware of this difficulty, but they also have a plan to surmount it. Tim signatories of the Nine-Power Treaty are the United States, Britain, France. Belgium, Italy, the Dutch Netherlands, Portugal, and China. Of those, China docs not matter; Japan may count on support from Italy and possibly from Portugal; the United States'will certainly remain hostile; and as for the rest, Japan hopes to apply “pressure.” The key to the situation is obviously Britain—that Britain which, under a National Government, is yielding to aggression all over the world. IF BRITAIN AGREES. If Britain can be persuaded by threats to agree to a revision of the Nine-Power Treaty and to recognise the “now order” in'East Asia, might not the United States be forced to fall into line? Suppose a Nine. Power Conference were called at the request of the United States Government, and it were found that Britain, France, and Holland. all fearful for their Far Eastern possessions, were ready to give up their rights in China? What then? Certainly the plan is worth trying; indeed, it is already being tried. The Japanese have closed the Yangtse in spite of British protests. They have cut off Hongkong from the mainland, and arc now in a position to starve it out. More serious still is the threat to co-operate in joint action with Germany ami Italy. The anti-Comintern Pact has already been reinforced by cultural pacts: what, if it were to bn strengthened by a military alliance? Now, while Italy bullies France and

Germany menaces Britain, Japan gives a turn to the screw in the Far East. For this situation the British and French, Governments have largely themselves to blame. From the beginning of the war they have shown their fear of Japan, and given in to her threats. When Japan discovered at Changkufeng that the Russians, for all their weaknesses, were not prepared to yield to aggression, it was but natural that she .should turn with renewed vigour against those who apparently " 61e ‘ THREATS TO FRANCE. It is not generally realised how far this bullying has gone. As early as the autumn of 1937 Japan was threatening France with “ ultimatums ” if she permitted the passage of arms from Indo-China to Yunnan. Viscount Ishii, who arrived in London at the end of that year, declared: “ Japan has no legal reason to demand that the Powers refrain from selling arms to China. . . . But France has been informed that if the passage of arms continues through Imio-China Japan may find herself obliged to bomb the French railway going north from Hanoi to Yunnan and east to Nanning.” In spite of the humble compliance of the French Government, Japan was not satisfied, and this year threatened to occupy the island of Hainan, which is regarded almost as a French dependency. But this was unnecessary, for on June 20 M Bonnet assured M. Sugimura, the Japanese Ambassador in Paris, that France was strictly fulfilling her promises, and that rigorous instructions had been given to the an. thorities in Tonkin to prevent entirely the passage of arms and munitions destined for China. Fortunately the British Government has not yet proved quite so amenable, but great pressure is now being exercised. It is, of course, essential that it should be resisted. The only policy that can have success is to show firmness in China (and in Europe), and to co-operate closely with the United States Government. So long as Britain and the United States maintain a common front in the Far Ea.%t Japan can do little; and in this way we may yet save our interests in China and, what is more important, China herself.