FAR EAST DANGER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1935, Page 6

FAR EAST DANGER

JAPAN DISREGARDING TREATIES.

WARNING BY LORD LOTHIAN

(Times Service)

(Received Eli is day at 12 noon) LONDON February 18

Japan hopes to lace the world t\ith a fait accompli in China analogous to Maclmkiio at the expiry in two years ol her notice of denunciation of the Washington treaty, says Lord Lothian in <t letter to the “Times.” He adds: “Japan is tearing up the Washington treaties, nullifying th e integrity of China, and flouting the “open door” agreement. China does not want Japan to absorb her, but wants to stand on her own legs without toreign control.

“The British Empire, the United States,, France, and Russia can more effectively help her than the Japanese I urge Britain, without waiting the arrival of the Empire Prime Ministers, to mobilise the other nin,. power signatories and decide whether Japan shall be allowed to repeat in China, on a gigantic scale, the whole policy of the veiled annexation already carried out 1,1 Maiicliukuo.”

The Foreign Office says it is watching the position closely. A meeting of the nine powers at present is not contemplated. The. authorities admit the situation is interesting, blit there i-s a tendency to regard Lord Lothian as slightly pessimistic.

Dispatches, which, so far, have reached Whitehall ill connection with the Sino-Japanese conversations, do not cany the position so far as Lord Lothian. However, Britain clearly shares General Smuts’ and Lord Lothian’s belief that the situation in the Pacific is becoming dangerous, and that the Japanese are flouting the “open door,” but the British Policy in the Far East is most indefinite. There is the strongestdesire to retain Japanese friendship. Simultaneously there is the realisation that Japanese activities challenge ail Western interests.