MANCHURIA

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 140, 28 May 1928, Page 4

MANCHURIA

yyiTH MANCHURIA figuring so prominently in the Eastern international picture just now, a word or two about it will not be out of place. Embracing the extreme north-eastern provinces of the old Chinese Empire, it was from there that the dynasty emerged centuries ago which provided Emperors for China until the revolution that established a republic early in this century. It is more than twice the size of post-war Germany and at present carries a population estimated at 25 million. The growth of this is one of the marvels of modern migration. Thirty-five years ago Manchuria had a population of only three million and counted for but little in the eyes of the numberless Chinese population to the south of it. Russia, however, realised some of the possibilities that lay dormant in it, and so set, even if somewhat laz'ily, about the exploration and exploitation of its northern area. The Japanese then came on the scene and laid their plans, necessarily within their dwn zone to the southward while Russia yet remained a Great Power. The Russo-Japanese War and the Great War opened the way for Japan to extend the scope of her plans, and she rapidly intruded herself into the Russian sphere. From 1914 all went well for Japan, for active competition by Russia had died down, while the Chinese remained oblivious to the chances they were losing. The Japanese brought their customary energy to bear and ere long had not only ascertained the wonderful productive capacity of the country, but had secured concessions over much of its natural wealth in forests and minerals. For the working of these many millions of Japanese money were spent in the building of railways, the establishment of mills and factories, and the promotion of commerce.

It is quite possible that Japan would have remained in comparatively undisturbed enjoyment of her great “find” in Manchuria had it not been for the Chinese civil war. In the earlier days a very' large number of Chinese labourers had been brought into Manchuria to assist in the prosecution of Japanese undertakings there, but only a relatively small proportion of them settled permanently, the great majority going south again for winter-time. During the Great War the number of introduced labourers was much increased owing to the urgent demand that arose for Manchurian products. Then came the Chinese Civil War, which, quickly' moving northward, reduced the population of the provinces through which it swept to a state of virtual destitution. It was then that the fame of Manchuria began to spread abroad among them as a land of plenty, seemingly safe from all the horrors of war to which they had been subjected. Hence it is that, during the last year or two more especially, the inhabitants of the closely populated provinces of Shantung, Chihli, and Honan have, literally in millions, been “treking,” men, women and children, across the border of Manchuria. It is this vast and quite legitimate, though wholly unexpected, accretion of the local Chinese population that is bent on sharing with the alien Japanese their good fortune in the discovery and enjoyment of Manchurian resources.