THE FAR EAST

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 47, Issue 2669, 13 September 1937, Page 8

THE FAR EAST

CHINA’S SUSPICION

ENCROACHMENT BY JAPAN ALWAYS WIN—NEVER CONQUER “How much of China’s suspicion is justified can only be guessed at from a survey of Japan’s encroachments during the past few years. But China is full of apprehensions. In 1931 Manchukuo, in 1933 Jehol, in 1935 East Hopei and Eastern Chahar, and in 1936 Fengtai, were subtracted from China and added to Japan’s Empire. What of 1937?” asks Mr F. E. Dean, who has lived in China for 15 years, in the Daily Telegraph, of London. “Japan,” says the Times, “could always win, but never conquer. The fruits of victory in North China alone would mean heavy financial and military commitments on the mainland, where she already has her hands full and her coffers empty. “Even short of a declared war, she must be chary of taking any decisive step which would lacerate Chinese prestige incurably; the annexation of Peking, for instance, while negligibly enhancing Japan’s influence in that area, would involve her in the formidable difficulties of an economic boycott throughout her largest market.” “If the Japanese force the pace now,” says the Manchester Guardian, “it will be because they realise that their hold on North China must be secured at once if it is not to be lost for ever.

“If they wait longer, all the patient preparations in North China may be undone by the waye of nationalism. Every yeai’ China is growing stronger; in five years she may be too strong; and there is always the danger of an alliance with the Communists in a united front. This reasoning may not be correct, but it is too plausible to be ignored.

“There is every reason to believe that, should the Japanese go forward, political necessity as well as his personal inclinations will force General Chiang" Kai-shek to fight at last.” “Ever since the currency reforms introduced after Sir Frederick LeithRoss’ mission to China three years ago,” points out the Evening Stand-' ard, “the financial position and pres-

tige of the Nanking Government has steadily improved, and with it a sense of national consciousness.

“If Japan, or more precisely, the chauvinistic elements in the Japanese General Staff, should contemplate the eventual military conquest of North China, -the price of victory would be much higher than in the case of Manchuria.

“What has Japan to gain? She already controls the enormous natural resources of Manchukuo. But if Japan decided to utilise Western Europe’s present preoccupation with the Spanish conflict and Russia’s internal dissensions as an opportunity for increasing by force of arms her hold on the five provinces, it would mean not merely a major war, calculated to overstrain her limited financial resources, but the end for a long period of her recently expressed hopes of better understanding with Britain and the U.S.A.

“Japan has succeeded in making an enemy of Russia. Her supposed attachment to the “Berlin-Rome axis” is slender and in no way conducive to her real interests, remote from Europe as they are. She can scarcely afford at this juncture to involve herself in further warlike commitments.”

“We believe that Japanese pressure,” asserts the Birmingham Post, “pushed too far, will make China a nation. We believe that Japanese pretensions, economic and commercial, pushed too far, will give Great Britain and the United States what they have never had before — a common policy in the Far East based on positive and not

merely negative co-operation. “If Japan is allowed to go too far without protest, then this positive cooperation will be bound to show itself through Admiralties and War Offices

and not through Foreign Offices. It is still possible for Great Britain and the

United States, acting together, to prevent Japan taking the last fatal step.

But if prevention in peace is to ‘prevent’ (in the Prayer Book sense) cure by war, something has to be done quickly.”