NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1932. MANCHURIA AGAIN

Northern Advocate, 16 September 1932, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1932. MANCHURIA AGAIN

Registered for transmission . through the post as a Newspaper.

. History is being- written in the Far East. Events which are occurring this week cannot but l\avo far-reaching consequences. Manchuria, uoav Manchukno, has been formally recognised as an independent State; by _ Japan, whose action is the subject of critical inspection by the world at large. It is ' interesting to recall the circumstances which have led up to the. present situation. Manchuria, in recent years, has been a bone of contention between three rivals —China, Japan and Russia. Despite China’s claim that Manchuria is portion of its territory, that country was not originally an integral part of the Chinese Empire. It is the homeland of the Manchn people, a | disappearing race, whose fillers | in,.16,44 conquered .China; (The ; Manchn Emperors in Peking ; kept the vast region known as Manchuria as a private hunting ground, forbidden to foreign, but particularly Chinese, settlement. Imperial restrictions gradually relaxed, but not completely, until 1905, by Avhich time Russian troops had practically over-run the Manchn domain. , Russia’s presence in Manchuria, with possession of ports overlooking Japan, was a matter of grave- anxiety tq the latter, -who, in 1895, went to Avar with the Muscovite. Japan Avas victorious, but avos robbed of much of tbe fruits of victory. In .1905, with the aid of the 1 Anglo-Japanese, alliance, Japan succeeded in pushing back the Russian advance. As a result of this Japan got a lease of Liaotung, and obtained a firm footing in Manchuria. Under the Treaty of Portsmouth, Japan was permitted to keep about 15,000 troops along the South Manchuria railway; and she has gradually extended her influence, military and commercial, in the conntry'. With- the organisation developed, first by Russia, and then improved by Japan, Chinese and Japanese settlers haA r e flocked to Manchuria, the total population of this once deserted land ■ feeing estimated at 15 millions, ; of Avhich one million are Japanese, Avho have added greatly to the prosperity of the region. Manchuria, iiv a very real sense, bears the impress of Japanese enterprise and energy. This, as is Avell knoAvn, Avas the cause of the trouble Avliich occurred last year betAveen China and Japan, Avhen Japanese railway , guards in Manchuria were attacked by Chinese “bandits,” A grave crisis, threatening the Avorld peace, Avas averted by the League of Nations, Avhich despatched a corhmission to inr quire into the matters at dispute between China and Japan and to define the actual position of Manchuria. The report of that commission, though delivered, has not been .published. In the meantime, Manchuria has de- : dared itself an independent r State, and Japan, Avith out aAvait--1 ing the report of the Lyttop ; Commission, Avhich she was bound ,to do, has -formally, recognised the ncAV regime, Avhich, it is suspected, is merely a puppet in the hands of the Japanese Government. It is this fact Avhich makes Japan’s action very disturbing. The extent of its repercussions cannot, be foretold, feut it must be admitted that a, very aAvkAvard situation has been created. Already the Nanking GoA'crnment has despatched, t a - diplomatic protest in Notes to London. Washington, _ Paris, ’ Rome and Geneva alleging that, Japan has A’iolatecl China’s tor-., ritorial administrative sovereignty ami requesting international action.