GRASPING AT ASIA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 256, 26 September 1933, Page 2

GRASPING AT ASIA.

FINANCES AND SOVIET CHECKS

ON JAPAN

INFLUENCE SPREADING

Extension of the Japanese sphere of interest to Inner Mongolia, North China, and the maritime province of Russia is almost certain, declares the special correspondent of the Times in Manchuria. 'The life of heavy Russian military concentrations on the Amur frontier hangs by the single thread of the Trans-Siberian railway. There are ultimately only two factors to check Japan’s ambitions in Asia—the state of her finances and the quality ot the Red Army. The Manchukuo State set up by Japan must be regarded as a fait accompli, continues the correspondent. The rights and wrongs of Japan’s actions in 1931 are no longer relevant either to the present or the future of the Far East. The country is undergoing what is best described as “enlightened exploitation,” from which 30 million inhabitants will benefit.

Banditry is the chief obstacle to peace and prosperity. It is estimated that there were 212,000 bandits last year. The number is now officially stated to be 60,000, but these are only wholetimers. There are probably another 120,000 part-time bandits. The Government is spending 48 times more upon suppression of banditry than upon education.

Nevertheless, financial progress is rapid. Currency stablisation alone is an inestimable blessing in a country formerly flooded with war lords’ worthless paper. Foreign opinion is favourable to the Japanese, but justifiably anxious about the commercial future of the “open door.” Manchuria is not quite as wide open as formerly. Extension of State monopolies will accelerate the almost inevitable doom of foreign commercial interests. Lord Lytton, who headed the League of Nations Commission, which reported against Japan’s action in Manchuria, protests against the correspondent’s reference to a fait accompli. The League Assembly, he says, unanimously condemned Japan’s action. If the doctrine of irrelevancy were accepted, it would destroy the foundations of peace.